Do You See Them?

This week is one of my favorites of the year. Why? It's the week of our annual meeting at Kinetix. We bring all of our employees together from across the country to our corporate office in Atlanta for training, team-building, and celebration of an incredibly successful year.

Moments
One of the best parts of the week each year is the series of individual moments I have with our team. Quiet sidebar conversations about work, life, career aspirations, or challenges happening right then.

It is a privilege to have these moments actually. They are important to the team members who are kind enough to value my opinion; and they are important to me because the team trusts me enough to be involved in what's happening in their world.

That's not just "work." That's trust, and respect, and how it should be.

Seeing Them
During our company photo shoot I was chatting with one of the other executives here, and they said to me...

"...just look at our group...we have an unbelievable team of people here now...I'm not just saying it...

they truly are incredible..."

That's powerful.

...and that's one of the things I love about being a member of the leadership team here at Kinetix. 

Our employees are not FTEs, or staff, or commodities. 

They are people, who work hard, have good values, and add to our culture far beyond their performance of 18% productivity growth. 

They are people who we have the privilege to have on the team.

How About You
How do you see the members of your team? Are they replaceable, or maybe simply a seat that needs to be filled? Or, are they much more than that?

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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Social Media Ad Buys and Recruiting

If you're like most Talent Acquisition leaders, you're trying to figure out how to use social media tools to maximize exposure for your open positions. 

Well, there is far more to it than just dropping links all over the Internet!

Which platform is best for your positions?

How do you target the right talent?

Is recruitment marketing the same on each social media channel?

To learn how to rock your social media spend, check out this post from Kris Dunn over at The HR Capitalist or...

...download the new Kinetix white paper now!

It's time to get in the game!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Beggin' and Payin'

Ridin' high when I was king,
Played it hard and fast cause I had everything,
You walked away, won me then,
But easy come and easy go and it would end

Too Comfortable
When I look back on my career and think about all the twists and turns, highs and lows, and everything in between one thing becomes clear. Without people giving me an opportunity I would have nothing.

Nothing.

Sometimes I can lose sight of the journey I've been on simply because the pace of life is so hectic. Juggling my responsibilities inside Kinetix as well as with our clients, going full speed in my busy personal life, squeezing in daily workouts, and generally trying to stay out of trouble can all be a distraction. 

I don't necessarily feel bad about being so busy, in fact it is a blessing to have so many exciting things happening...even if they seem to be happening all at the same time!

Stop Begging, Start Paying
The risk, obviously, is that what I have now can erase my memory of what it took to get here. More importantly, it blurs the memory of who got me here.

The early part of my career was all about working hard, and hoping for an opportunity. The professional version of begging, if you will. Fortunately, there were many people who saw something in me, and took risks of their own to give me a chance.

Now, it's my turn! In fact, it's been my turn for quite a while. I've embraced connecting with people early in their careers. I love encouraging new members of the teams I've worked with, even to the point of challenging them to think beyond their role with the organization because I thought they could do more right now.

It would be impossible to list everyone who has been influential in my career, but here are a few...

Dad and Mom, far and away the most influential role models in my life

Paul McBride, undergraduate school professor

George Haskett, graduate school professor

Mike McNally, first HR VP that I reported to and early mentor

Kathryn Gillette, CEO, former boss, and mentor

Trish McFarlane, HR leader, social media, blogging mentor and friend

Mike VanDervort, HR leader, social media, blogging mentor and friend

How About You
How do you connect with the early careerists in your company? Do you notice them; or, are you too busy running to your next meeting to "really see" them? 

In addition to my focus on payin' - I'm looking forward to serving as a formal mentor for one of our interns this summer!

How are you payin'?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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beggin'

Death by 1,000 HR Policies

I've worked in human resources for a long time. So long in fact, that when I make pop culture references with our team, most of the group don't understand my jokes. I also discuss policies and procedures as tools to guide the culture of the workplace. I get the same blank stares on this too.

What Changed?
In my early hospital HR roles I held my policy book so close that you would think it was my version of a security blanket. It drove almost all of my decisions, helped ensure I was "following the rules" and never wavered! 

Um, that's not leadership by the way. I wish someone had told me that back in the '90s.

Those old school approaches to HR leadership don't mesh with the more sophisticated employees of today. Yes, I said sophisticated. Think about it, the world is dramatically different than it was when I was part of the "new generation of leaders" coming up through the ranks.

Now we have the most informed, most empowered, and most connected world ever. For those of us that have jumped on the wild ride of contemporary business strategies it is an exciting and wonderful period of time.

For my colleagues who still wish "being a yuppie" was a thing, you have sadly been left behind.

Relationships Rule, Policies Are (mostly) a Waste
The savvy leader today, regardless of age or experience, understands that their relationship with the team will define the organization's profitability and ultimate success.

How many of us have prioritized the experience our employees have working for us as our number one agenda item every day? Not the patients, not the customers, not the business partners...our employees, first.

Let that settle in. No one is more important in the universe than your employees. Now we should take that one step further:

- What would your corporate culture feel like if every employee felt maximum support from you?

- What would the turnover rate of your top talent be if they felt you would do anything for them?

- How hard would your team work if they knew they had miraculously found a job where leadership was completely focused on their success?

- What do you think your profits would look like with a super-charged team working hard for you every day?

How About You
The old world of finding safe harbor in your policy book is gone. Don't destroy your credibility and try to go down that path. 

No one...including me...will think that you're paying attention to the modern world. 

Employees come first. Employees drive our success. Policies are just (too many) words on a page. Which one will you focus on?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Hey Recruiter! No Brand? No Game.

"All of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me, Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You."
- Tom Peters

It's Not A Fad
The notion that individual recruiters don't need to worry about their brand as long as they work for, or represent organizations with a strong brand, is a fallacy. Success as a recruiter is ultimately about credibility and hustle...and the tools of the trade today are digital. 

Some may feel that since they've been recruiting for a long time and have always been successful, they do not need to focus on their brand. That approach will prove to be a costly mistake. Clients expect their recruiters to be current, contemporary leaders in the industry. To say that simply because they have been doing something for a long time has nothing to do with being good at it.

Are you with me?

Getting Started Is Easy
There is good news for any recruiter that claims to be too busy, too private, or too lazy to get their own brand moving forward. It's easy to get started, as long as you do one thing...

Start!

Odds are you already have a LinkedIn profile, and maybe have a twitter account too. Hopefully you've gone further and are rocking a snapchat story every day. These channels can be very powerful outlets for you to distribute content. 

What's that? You don't have any content to share? Um, yes you do! Here's a quick list of content that you can begin sharing today.

- post your organization's content
- post your client's content
- post your candidate's content
- post general thought leadership
- post industry thought leadership (Healthcare, HR, I.T., Finance, etc.)
- post YOUR content

You officially no longer have an excuse. 

How About You
You're already working hard. But without the digital credibility, you will forever be lost among the masses of "professional recruiters" out there. Why would a client listen to you? Why would a candidate listen to you? 

It's time to step up. Let me help.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Too Fast for Love?

Two years.

It's hard to believe. Two years filled with action, risk, bold moves, incredible support and success. Two years with a group of people who are committed to doing things differently than everyone else. Two years of being part of a leadership team that understands how the contemporary world of work is supposed to operate.

Two years at Kinetix for me, as of today.

Bold Is Where We Live
I'm not kidding. Bold is exactly where we live. 

In fact, we use it as a repellent for those companies that think they want to work with us, but have such weak leadership we actually try to drive them away before we waste our collective time.

That's not just bold, that's bad ass.

Too Fast
As I've reflected on my own bold move to leave my VP of Human Resources role after so many years, one thing is clear about that decision...

Nailed it.

My life is faster than ever...the pace of change is faster than ever...the needs of our clients are more complex than ever...

Fast is where I live...and I love it.

How About You
Do you think work is too fast for you to love? Think again. Fast is not only how the world operates...it's how effective leaders "get it done." After all, it can't just be about the process, right? Results matter.

I'm blessed...and I'm fired up to keep pushing. The faster the better.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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title inspiration

Bleeding Orange

Why do some people stay with their organizations for years, and others seem to bounce from place to place? Do some companies have a secret that magically plays out inside their walls? Or, do they simply market their culture so effectively that despite their normal challenges they continue to attract top talent?

Bleed
I've worked in organizations that were good places, and I've worked in organizations that I left because they were obsessed with earnings and didn't care about patient, physician or employee engagement.

I felt like I was bleeding all over the place...yet my passion and enthusiasm for my work didn't mean a thing. It was a sad place to be, and ultimately it required a resignation and fresh start.

In those companies...bleeding was bad.

Orange
I now find myself at a point in my career where I am again bleeding all over the place. My energy, passion and commitment are very different this time though. So, what has changed?

Are the people better? 
- No, but something feels different when we work together.

Is the work dramatically different? 
- No, but something feels different when we do our work.

Is the culture really that different from other companies?

HELL, YES!

We aren't obsessed with organizational charts. We don't wonder who is talking to who about who after every meeting. We search for ways to recognize each other. 

We ask each other to offer suggestions. We take risks and try new things. We bake our employment assessment tool into every day life. Yes we do. Every. Day. Life.

Are we perfect? Thankfully, no.

We think differently. We act differently. We "get it" here...when most other companies just don't.

How About You
This is a week to be thankful for many things. I've never felt this much support in my life. I've never felt this much energy with a team as I do now. It's flat out awesome.

What color do you bleed?

We bleed orange.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Kinetix

Kinetix Update --> WE NEED YOU: Holiday Book Suggestions!

Calling all Kinetix employees, friends, clients, family and more!

The holidays are right around the corner and our gift wrapping supplies are set—all of this can only mean one thing: it’s time to submit your ideas for our annual holiday book.

Annual Holiday Wha…?

Our annual holiday book! If you’ve known us for a few years, you know what we’re talking about. If you’re new to the Kinetix crew, let us fill you in. Every year around the holidays, as cookies and swag gifts begin piling through the door, Kinetix’s elves get together to do things a little differently by sending off books to our friends all over.

But these are no ordinary books. These books have spunk. We’re talking titles like Fahrenheit 451, The Fountainhead, JPod, The Alchemist and, most recently, Company. 

With such a diverse collection, you may be wondering what all these books DO have in common. If you haven’t figured it out, there is one common trait: all of these books get you to think about talent in a different way. They encourage you to be better by opening your worldview to all the different ways we can perceive talent within and around us. And, honestly, what better way is there to finish the year off and kickstart a new one?

There’s just one thing missing for us to get the books from our wrapping tables to your desk…

Your Input!

In the past, our best books have been suggested by Kinetix outsiders—friends of friends, clients, vendors. But whether you proudly wear a Kinetix badge or not, we want you hear what books you’ve been reading that have given you a new perspective on talent!

There’s just two guidelines for book recommendations:

1. It has to make you think about talent. There should be themes that relate to bettering ourselves by expanding our points of view (just don’t call it a self-help book.) Talent doesn’t have to be the core focus of the book—and in most years past it hasn’t been—but it should relate to talent in some way. After all, that is our passion at Kinetix.
2. We don’t want best sellers. Maybe you read The Girl on the Train this year and thought about how it breaks down the walls of what we think we know; maybe you went for the nonfiction Alexander Hamilton biography that inspired the hit Broadway musical and considered employee relations in relation to Hamilton and the other founding fathers. Those are all valid points, but at Kinetix we like to break the mold. Your recommendation CAN have been on the bestseller list in years past, but if it’s a book everyone has read this year, we’ll pass it over.

That’s it—follow those two guidelines and your recommendation just may end up going out to hundreds of people.

Sound off in the comments below with your good reads, or send any recommendations to kweimer@kinetixhr.com to be considered. We can’t wait to see what you’ve had your nose in this year!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

You Can Be A Powerhouse

...you can feel the energy in the room change when they come in...they bring something special that is hard to describe; yet, every one on the team wants to be around them...I want to be that person too...

Success
It's a funny thing that happens to people when they achieve a level of success that they perhaps only dreamt of earlier in their careers. All of the self-talk of "how they would do things differently" suddenly becomes real.

Now they have to back up those words with action. There is often a collective expectation that simply because one person has arrived that everything will be different.

Sometimes, one person can shift an entire culture...

Leveraging Power
I am a strong believer in bringing energy to my work. Acting like you really love what you are doing is essential for leaders. Am I right?

How many of us have listened to leaders complain, launch into king-sized eye rolls, and forever gripe about something?

Guess what? No one wants to work for that miserable soul.

The opportunity then, is to take advantage of the power we have to spread energy and enthusiasm across our organizations. It has to be consistent, sustained and intentional every day. 

It must become a mantra that moves from your task list, to your "how I lead" style of living.

How About You
Would you like to be considered the person that is always "on" and ready to attack the day? 

To me, there is no other option. Why in the world would I want to sit and watch while someone else dictates the culture of my organization?

Bring the energy!

I'd love to hear from you

No Excuses.

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Squads and Loyalty

Many of us have jobs. Some of those jobs are pretty good...some are brand new because we're new to the world of work...others are at an in-between-stop along the journey...

...and a select few have something completely different.

Your Squad
Success is often achieved through hustle, grinding, and hard work. This is true! There are no shortcuts. However, success is never achieved in a vacuum. The people you trust and allow to be part of your inner circle will define your future.

Think about that for a second...the people you trust will dictate whether you are successful or not.

Your squad means everything. I may be the luckiest person working today, because the team at work combined with my squad has opened up my world in ways I could never have imagined.

Loyalty
The result of recognizing the support you have behind you is the ultimate prize every employee engagement guru strives for...

Loyalty.

"How many of you are actually loyal to the organization your work for? What does that look like? How do you talk about, defend and promote your company?"

How About You
One of the often overlooked benefits of loyalty is the confidence you feel to do your job. When we know our organization has our back, and the team around us is helping us do good work we break through to a new level of performance.

So...who's on your squad, and what does that mean to you?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Your Community - Your Future

The incredible power of communities in today’s world of work is literally transformational. Particularly for the untapped world of healthcare human resources or other risk-averse industry professionals. 

I’ll give you a real life example…me.

I spent twenty years in hospital human resources leadership, including the last fourteen in executive roles. As I watched the world of effective leadership change rapidly, I realized I either had to step up or stop claiming I was a leader.

"Harsh? Not really. I take the title of leader very seriously, and I believe leaders have to actually do the work, not just sit around fancy conference rooms tossing around leadership quote meme ideas."

Leadership is not only talk…leadership is action. I took ownership of what I knew had to change and completely reinvented myself and how I practiced HR. I made the conscious decision to grow my communities, and ended up positioning myself (unknowingly at the time) for the job I have now.

Oh, and by the way...making these changes revolutionized the talent function at my last hospital far beyond my wildest expectations.

Getting Started

1.  The first step is learning…branching out to try new tools…and it is surprisingly simple:

"Get over yourself."

Forget about your ego, your loaded LinkedIn profile, and your inflated sense of self. I'm serious...you're not that special (neither am I.)

2.  The second rule is to select one tool to help grow your community. For example if you choose twitter start by setting up your account, be sure to use the same picture from your LinkedIn profile, and be patient.

No one will expect you to be a power user on day one! Search the tool to find other leaders in the #HealthcareHR space (it will be a quick search!) or other industry. Look for other leaders, organizations, and thought leaders you trust and connect with them.

Engage

3.  The third step is to start using the tool. One of the best ways to do that on twitter, or snapchat (which is now #2 behind facebook, yes!); or any tool for that matter, is to participate. Retweet and share content. Let others know you like their work. Compliments are completely risk-free!

Remember, you talk to people all day…every day…so you can certainly handle hitting the Retweet button!

How About You

4.  The last step is to reach out directly to others, particularly those outside your specific industry space. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, explain that you are learning and want to participate. While this may sound like a long slow road, what you will quickly discover is that your online communities will grow so quickly you won’t believe it.

...and that impacts your leader brand.
...which impacts your employer brand.

I’m living proof.

Please do not feel like you need to do this alone. 

I want to help! Connect with me and let's get you started:

twitter:            @jrkuhns
snapchat:        jrkuhns
Instagram:     jrkuhns
Swarm:           Jay Kuhns
Pinterest:       jrkuhns
anchor:          Jay Kuhns

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses.  

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Play to Win

S: "Jay, do you ever not win?"

Me: "No."

Maybe it's just me, but the world of work seems to be more competitive than ever. Whether people are jockeying for a new opportunity; or like me, are working hard to grow the company they work for to its fullest potential.

That includes finding the best talent.

Don't Just Play
As the crushing force of political correctness invades the world of work, and in particular Human Resources, it seems increasingly distasteful to be ultra-competitive.

Why?

Am I a bad person if I push myself hard to be successful?
Am I perceived as uncaring if I don't take care of my competitors as well as I take care of my company?

What is going on? Have we all become so soft that the options are either you end up labeled as a cold-hearted capitalist, or an ineffective "leader" trying to win some sort of popularity contest...but never actually execute because that would require standing up to someone?

Play To Win
Despite all of the "correctness" that I'm supposed to conform to (...not happening, by the way...) I'm going to do everything in my power to represent the three brands that matter most:

- my own
- my organization's
- the clients my company works with

Period.

Nothing will stand in the way. There are too many amazing people working at my company, and candidly, they expect me to be more driven than any of our strongest competitors, regardless of their size.

How About You
Are you one of those people that believes there is enough for everyone, and if we all share everyone can win? 

I'm not.

There is simply too much riding on my success, and the success of the team of people I work with to risk doing anything less than my very best. 

Do you play to win? If the answer is no....why the hell not?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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I'm Not Interested

I have a list of things that I absolutely love. Whether it's time with my kids, working out, traveling, rocking social media, my job, going to a concert, spending time with close friends, or speaking to groups of people to get them fired up...I can't get enough!

I also have a list of things that I am absolutely not interested in...

At all.

I'm Not Interested
- in listening to bigots justify their stupidity
- in spending time with mean people
- in working with leaders who manipulate organizations for their own personal gain
- in being associated with the 'good old boys club'
- in hearing excuses for why something can not be accomplished
- in following the crowd
- in doing things the way they've always been done
- in settling 
- in remaining quiet
- in losing at anything
- in being anything but the very best I can be

How About You
What should be added to my list?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Apex Predator

I'm a super competitive guy. I like to win. I push myself hard at work, in my workouts, and in how I try to cram two lives into just one. I like the pressure to differentiate myself, my company, and my clients from the competitors in their respective markets.

I like to win.

Every time.

Winning Without Being A Loser
Part of winning is making sure I try to help everyone on my team win. This is no small task. Think about the people you work with and how they (read here --> many) are slow to accept change. 

Some may be early in their careers and don't want to make a mistake. Others may be long-tenured but still cling to the prehistoric notion that a command and control leadership style actually garners credibility in 2015.

Whatever obstacles we confront, it is essential that we try to include everyone. Candidly, not everyone will make the journey with us. It is easier to accept this reality when we know we've done our best to be inclusive.

Winning Comes in Threes
When you commit to winning you can not simply state you want to win and expect to get a good result. It requires courage and thick skin (particularly when hearing the criticism from those that want 'everyone' to win --> impossible, by the way.)

Let's take a look at my big three:

1. An endless supply of enthusiasm
Are you the one that everyone knows is fired up...all the time? Can you be relied on to jump in front of a group of people and get them engaged on a new project, strategy, or set of business tools?

If not, what the heck is going on? It's up to you to change your organization for the better. No one else. That means you must be the one who is out in front.

2. A willingness to take risks
Are you the one that is pushing to try new things and challenge the status quo? Or, do you wait for "approval" for everything and make sure each issue is so "safe" that you never take a step forward? 

If so, what the heck is going on? It's up to you to create a culture where innovation and creativity are normal. If you're not role modeling this behavior who is going to do it?

3. An ability to execute
Progress never occurs when we "wait and see" or "take a closer look at something." Do these phrases sound all too familiar? Is it suddenly uncomfortable reading this post?

If so, what the heck is going on? You must be the one leading...you must be the first one through the wall...you must make decisions and move forward.


How About You
Do you want to be the apex predator in your industry, organization, and life? 

Reality check...the only thing stopping you is you. 

Get yourself fired up, take some risks, and above all else execute more effectively than anyone you've ever seen. 

In the end...you're going to make a world of difference.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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For The Stab Wounds In Our Backs

Corporate culture is a funny thing. Most executives get excited talking about how their culture is so special...unique...even one of a kind! Wow! That's a pretty bold statement don't you think?

As an HR executive I've not only said those words, I've heard many leaders over the years try to explain why their particular culture is different. It's kind of sad, really. The bombastic proclamations about being world-class often fall short when the data is revealed.

Questions

One of the most effective ways to understand if an organization's leadership culture is special is to ask a series of fundamental questions. The answers shed light on whether or not the rhetoric matches the truth.

A word of caution here...you may feel uncomfortable as you answer these questions in your head. If so, your culture is not even close to what you've been trying to sell to your leaders, employees, customers...and yourself.

1. Do leaders leave your organization because you've developed them into world-class talent and they have amazing new opportunities?

2. Do you commit to an approach that treats women and under represented people equally with respect to pay, titles, and other leadership incentives?

3. If you reviewed the data on how senior leaders transition out of your organization would it reveal a pattern of termination after termination?

4. When challenging issues arise does the leadership team rush to meet together because they rely on each other for support; or, is it a save-yourself-culture that focuses on attacking one another?

How do you feel now?

Reality Check

I would submit that only the most elite leaders have the courage to answer honestly, and then take the bold steps necessary to correct the areas that need to be addressed. 

Most executives simply will not make bold decisions...they will not take dramatic steps to move their organizations forward...and sadly, will punish those that step up and actually lead.

Why is it that so many talented leaders are unwilling to lead once they are in the most influential roles of their professional lives?

How About You

For those of us that actually want to believe in world class corporate cultures, the double-talk and weak leadership we experience feels like a stab in the back. I'm far from perfect, but the only leaders I will ever work for again are the ones that are unafraid to make bold decisions and stand up for what is right.

They are the leaders that matter.

That is the reason I work where I do.

That is why I will never stop writing about making leaders better.

Leaders make all the difference. Look in the mirror. Are you a real leader?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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