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.

Getting Started Using Social Media in Your Career

Even though the echo chamber is louder than ever in the social media space, there continue to be many...many...professionals who have yet to adopt these tools into their professional lives.

Honestly, getting started, particularly for my #HealthcareHR colleagues can feel like they are literally putting their jobs at risk. However, it does not have to be that way at all!

Start Slow
A key step in the process...from my experience...is to take your time. There is no hurry, you're not behind anyone else, and you certainly should never rush adopting new ways of doing your work.

However, it is time to get started. That means, today!

Step by Step
This is the easiest part of your transition to becoming a contemporary leader. You've probably already done part of this already. Do you have a Linkedin profile? Good! 

Next, open a twitter account. Keep in mind...you haven't posted anything yet, so you are not taking any risks!

Last step...start to identify content that you might like to share.

Pro Tip!
- your company probably produces content regularly....start there! 

Other ideas include professional journals (within your industry, Harvard Business Review, Inc., etc..) Start sharing this content once a day. It's safe, will make you look like you're aware that it is almost 2017, and you will begin to differentiate yourself and your company from the competition.

How About You
That wasn't so scary after all, right? Other helpful strategies as you get started should include following people in your industry and replicate what they do. Slow and steady actually does win the race.

Have questions? I'd love to help...reach out anytime.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Going Social Transformed My #HealthcareHR Career

I didn't get into social media tools because I thought they were cool. Quite honestly, it was out of desperation. My hospital at the time had far too many vacant positions, and the traditional #HealthcareHR tactics simply failed.

Just as they still do today.

Bold Leaders Are the Only Leaders
I literally had to make a bold move or risk compromising the quality of care provided to the patients at my hospital. That was the way I looked at it. I may not have been a direct care giver, but HR plays a vital role in the patient care process. If someone tries to tell you something different, fire them.

That's right. For those HR leaders that still believe they can use approaches from ten years ago and actually make a dent in the challenges they face, they are kidding themselves...

...and are losing the respect of their "team" (if they still actually have a team.)

The Truth Hurts
Am I being critical today? Actually, no. I'm begging you to lift your head up from the comfort of your policy manual and the noise from your over-priced ad agency and make a change.

Change yourself. Change your HR culture. Change your organization for the better.

How About You
You have the power...today...to radically transform your company. Yes, you. Start by allowing yourself the freedom to explore and learn new tools. Release yourself of the burden of anything traditional, and embrace growth, performance and success.

You can do it.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.
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Defining Your Brand

Work is hard. Successful work is even harder. For those that have moved up the ranks, or aspire to one day, there is a new requirement that must be addressed.

That "requirement" is staring back at you in the mirror every morning as you contemplate your jam packed day ahead. (The same day that you say is so busy you don't have time to work on the requirement....but that's none of my business.)

You Have A Story
My story really kicked into gear when I googled myself a number of years ago. Sure, I found a "Jay Kuhns"...unfortunately the only one I could find had been a physician in Hawaii in the 1940s.

That's right. Despite being a Vice President of Human Resources at a well respected hospital, I was invisible.

Hello, reality check.

Reinventing Myself
The stark reality of having a strong career but nothing to show for it outside my organization was downright depressing. I was beginning to realize the power of personal brands (I prefer the term Leader Brand); and how a person's brand could be used to differentiate themselves and their organizations in the market.

To make things worse, I often said I was a "brand ambassador" for my hospital, yet I was not posting, retweeting, or sharing any of my own organization's content. 

Massive failure on my part.

By the way...the SAFEST content to share is from your own company. It has already been fully vetted and approved...so why isn't every leader automatically sharing it?

Here we go...

Step 1. Eat a massive helping of humble pie. I do it regularly to keep myself grounded.

Step 2. Start building your social profiles on the big three.
- twitter
- Linkedin
- facebook

Step 3. Post content every day. Once you get comfortable with it you'll need less than 10 minutes. I know you have 10 minutes, so don't use the "time" excuse.

Step 4. Be amazed as you "suddenly" become someone that is viewed as a contemporary thought leader who understands and uses modern tools for business. 

Oh, and every person you'll ever hire again is using these tools, so imagine what they'll think when they are researching whether or not they want you to be their boss?

How About You
There is so much more to discuss about building your brand, but in order to go deeper you must first get started. Start today. No more excuses...no more jokes about social media being a waste.

It is not a waste. It is an incredibly powerful tool for business that you must start using now. I will help you. (I get kind of fired up about this stuff.)

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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The Far Without The Near

I consider myself to be driven when it comes to my career. Okay, really driven. I like trying new things and taking risks that most of my #HealthcareHR colleagues just aren't comfortable doing...yet. We all move forward at our own pace, right? (Remember when LinkedIn was new and no one dared try it?)
 
Racing Ahead
One of the pitfalls I've discovered in my enthusiasm to push myself to get that next great job or test new strategies that truly are risky, is that I can sometimes miss what's happening in the world around me.

Looking ahead to what is in the distance...the vision I see of how things could be...can get in the way of how incredible things are now. As much as I love the phrase "I have a need for speed" sometimes racing too far ahead doesn't make sense. Particularly if that is the only thing I'm doing. 

Stop, Look and Listen
I'm now learning to find balance between my passion for pushing ahead as fast as possible and immersing myself in the endless possibilities around me. I'll be honest with you, it's not easy. 

I have found myself using the phrase "go go go" lately to describe my enthusiasm for making progress on all fronts. It's part of who I am. 

How About You
The more I think about this concept of balance in my career, I realize that the only way I know how to operate is to do both...at full speed! Don't judge. I am going to move forward in a full sprint. I have a need for speed...I'm just going to make sure I apply it to the far and the near.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Slaves of Fear

In early 2009 I received my very first LinkedIn connection request. It was from a vendor that continues to be an important strategic partner, and I had absolutely no idea what this strange request was all about. So I ignored it.

It was new to me...had something to do with social media, and I worked in #HealthcareHR. Clearly I wasn't interested in anything like that! 

Slave of Routine

Back in '09 I thought I was on top of my game. I was six months into the best job I've ever had (and still have!) and certainly didn't need to focus on anything that would disrupt my transition. I was developing a great routine, meeting new people everyday, and learning how things are supposed to be done in my new organization.

I had fallen into the trap of taking my new role too far. Instead of investing the time to listen and learn and then take action; I listened, learned, and allowed myself to flow into the established rhythms of the work day without adding my personal leadership vision.

Not good. 

Slave No More

I finally accepted that LinkedIn request...and then spent some time exploring this interesting new site. Suddenly I realized that the person I had been for so many years was no longer relevant in the world of work. Sure, I could have plodded along and been one of the many incredibly effective transactional focused HR managers. But quite honestly, who wants to be one of those?

 
The realization that washed over me also opened the door for me to begin the process of reinventing myself. I didn't frame it that way until a year or so later, but the reality was clear.

I simply could not stay the same if I was going to be an effective HR leader going forward. The problem wasn't that I had done something wrong, or that I didn't understand how to lead a team of people. That wasn't the point.

The world of work had changed, and I was the one that had to change with it. I didn't see any other choice. I had to change..I had to admit I needed to learn brand new tools...and I had to start right away.

I distinctly remember feeling that I was far behind leaders I was paying attention to in other industries. That turned out not to be true...just as it isn't true today for others who haven't learned new tools in their work life. Life is about learning, and candidly it is never too late to start. 

How About You

Have you ever considered reinventing yourself? At first it can feel like a daunting task; yet once you begin taking small steps the process magically picks up speed. Before you realize it you're  "suddenly" well on your way. There are only two steps necessary for you to begin: realize the need, and then get started. It's just that simple. Are you ready?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Is Pushing Social Media A Good Idea?

Over the last three and a half years I've integrated social media into my personal and professional lives. I am a very social person, so imagine the perfect fit for me when twitter, facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and many other tools suddenly were important tools my business as a human resources leader. 

Quite frankly, I'm not sure how anyone can be truly effective in HR if they are not using these tools for business.

Making The Jump

I'm often asked about my level of social media engagement and I offer the same answer every time. I started slowly...did lots of watching and learning...and then gradually started to participate.  For those that believe getting active on social media requires a massive change in their life to suddenly "get it" they are way off the mark.

Nothing in life happens overnight (think of the starving actor who waits tables for ten years and then is "discovered.") Relax. There is plenty of time to figure out which tools are best for you, and how to incorporate them into your work.

To Push or Not To Push

There is a new reality to the era of social media. Whether or not you have the desire (read here --> are afraid to try) social media, the truth is you have to. You no longer have a choice, particularly if you want your organization to be considered current. As leaders, it is very difficult to "tell" our team members to use social media tools yet not be active ourselves. 

That is why I started. That is why you need to start too. Leading the way is still part of the leadership job description, right?

What about pushing others outside of your span of control who absolutely should be active on social media? Is your Marketing Executive active? How about other members of your company's leadership team? Is your CEO active? Article after article show that CEOs need to be on social, and that those that are active are trusted more than their own company's press releases.

If you're a social media leader inside your organization should you push others to get engaged? It's a difficult position to be in. 

Pushing too hard means you'll risk driving a wedge between you and your colleagues who are intimidated or who don't understand the power of social media as modern business tools. Conversely, not advocating strongly enough means you're letting your organization down.

Which approach is best?

How About You

Regardless of what you think about social media it is now a dominant force in the world of work. Adopting it yourself is a required first step; but pushing it across your organization is a much trickier prospect. What are you doing to make sure your organization doesn't look like it has it's head in the sand? 

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Let's Connect...Here At Work

I've spent the last several years reaping the benefits of an expanding social network. Through channels like twitter, facebook, Linkedin and foursquare I've met (both in real life and via these tools) many amazing people. My view of the world has changed, I have new colleagues and friends I can reach out to at anytime, and I continue to learn everyday. It is obvious to me that investing the time in my network has paid off over and over again.

But what about the people I see everyday? What about the new leaders in my organization? What about the projects that are just getting off the ground inside my organization? Have I reached out internally as much as I have externally?

Change Isn't Good...It's Awesome
My organization is moving at a fast pace. We're growing, both in the number of new jobs we continue to create, but also in the programs and initiatives we are launching. It seems as if there is a constant buzz of enthusiasm everywhere you turn. That's a good thing.

Having tunnel vision and missing all of this activity is not.

One of the roles of a human resources leader (or any leader for that matter) is to stay on top of these changes. I don't mean to be aware of the changes. That just involves listening at a meeting every once in a while.

I'm talking about actively seeking out your colleagues and getting yourself a regular appointment on their calendar. This way information can be shared, challenges can be discussed,  and you will automatically start building the internal connections necessary to understand and support their work.

"Human Resources must understand the business operations first, and then do good work to support those operations second. All too often HR pros believe their transactional forms and requirements are the core business...they couldn't be more wrong."

How About You
What have you done to reach out to your colleagues? Are you up to speed with their work...the work of your company? Or, are you too busy checking the latest regulation that will require a new policy and a great new triplicate form?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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