Grab A Straw

It’s time for us to have a little chat. Just you and me. Let me ask you…how are things going? Is work going well? Perhaps you’re in the search process…is it panning out the way you planned? What about the challenges in your current role? Are you feeling the fire inside your gut to hit those big, bad, nasty challenges head on?

I mean it…how are you?

Honesty First

We all face times in our professional lives that can have us feeling a bit (or a lot!) overwhelmed with it all. Our minds drift to new jobs, and new employers, with perfect coworkers and a drama-free environment. Then our Inbox pings us back to reality with a never ending stream of noise, noise, noise.

Let’s be honest, sometimes we just don’t like our work. That’s okay to admit, but it’s not okay to dwell on.

Venting Second

Before we start lamenting our lot in life, we need to do something very important.

Vent.

Let it out. Let go of the frustration. Dump a load of noise pollution and get it out of your system. It won’t fix a damn thing, nor will it magically generate a list of solutions to all of the challenges you’re facing. So what. Go off anyway, and let it fly.

Once you’re done…and I mean completely done…grab a straw and suck it up. Get yourself back together and take action on one issue. Don’t solve anything, don’t race to some imaginary endpoint, and don’t pick up the phone and unload on some unsuspecting Manager who is needy as all hell.

Suck it up in private, and take one step forward.

Then take another. And another. And another.

Now you’re on your way. You’re back in control, and you’re going to figure it out, whether it’s your current employer, your job search, or the annoying folks who don’t seem to go away, despite your best attempts to help them.

How About You

Are you willing to admit that you get super frustrated sometimes? Do you have someone you can vent with so you can have the satisfaction of complaining like a crazy person just to feel a little better? If not, give me a call. I’m an excellent listener.

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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HR Roadshow!

Next week I have the privilege of speaking at the Minnesota SHRM Conference. My friend Josh Rock and his organizing team have been kind enough to let a guy from Florida invade the (almost) frozen North. I'm  going to be speaking about HR Transformation; specifically, how my organization went on a wild ride and made huge changes within our HR function over the last year, and what we now have to show for it.

The line up of speakers is a bit daunting, but I'm going to do my best to bring the No Excuses attitude to a terrific group of HR pros in Minnesota.

Oh, and I'm going to watch some hockey while I'm there too...even if it isn't the NHL.

See you next week!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Well, Shut My Mouth!

I have to admit something. Despite my best intentions, talking about it, and writing on the subject, I have a heck of a hard time listening. Active listening - aka my arch nemesis - is a valuable leadership skill that I continue to work on developing. When you're accustomed to making decisions and taking risks, listening doesn't come easy.

Listening Isn't "Getting Ready"
One of the challenges of my listening style is that I find myself getting ready to respond to what the other person is saying, typically long before they've had a chance to finish what they're saying. That's not listening, that's actually called ignoring.

Ignoring others is a bad thing.

Listening Is Listening

Another revelation I've had over the years is that when I do take the time to focus on what I'm hearing, good things usually are the result. It may be that the good thing is a greater understanding of the dynamics of a certain situation. Or, the good thing may be that I'm able to modify my response to better engage in the dialogue without sounding like an insensitive lout.

Being an insensitive lout is a bad thing.

How About You
What's your listening style? Have you found that as your breadth of responsibility has expanded that it is more difficult to fully listen because you're constantly juggling so many issues at the same time? If you've mastered the art of listening I hope you're willing to share...I'm all ears.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Love Struck!

Do you love the work you do? Are you someone who looks forward to going to work each day, whether that means commuting to work, or walking down the hall to your home office? Do you get so fired up about new ideas that you can't wait to meet with your team to strategize how to roll them out? Are you...maybe...someone who gets a little too fired up about your job?

Me too.

Work Doesn't Have To Suck
Too many times I hear about employees who are dissatisfied in their work. I'm talking about leaders. The newspapers (that I read on my iPhone) are filled with articles about employee dis-engagement and the coming migration of employees from one employer to another once "the economy gets back on track."

Since when did a good economy equate with high employee engagement?

Mindsets Matter

For me the issues about work are clear. If you expect to make a difference...if you expect to face challenges...if you expect to have success...you will! So I believe it's time for us to wrap our mindsets around reality when it comes to work.

Sometimes work will be terrific; sometimes it will be challenging; and sometimes it will be a pain in the neck.

But that doesn't mean I still won't love what I do. You should love your work too.

How About You
Are you love struck about your work, and how you see yourself contributing? If not, it's time to dig deeper into what work is really all about, and forget those fantasies about no conflicts and every idea you have is approved. Let's keep it real, okay?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Pick Your Battles

I like to stay on top of things. My Inbox, task list, projects, new ideas, and the list goes on. Life just seems to go more smoothly for me if everything goes according to my plans and exactly on my schedule. Yes, that's just how I like it.

Then I wake up, realize my little dream is over, and go to work.

In Control...Really?
One of the painful lessons I've learned over the years...err, continue to learn...is that I simply can not control, manage, react to, and effectively address all of the issues in my world all by myself. It's impossible. However, since I have a bit of an "I-can-do-anything" complex I still catch myself trying.

Note to self => you're not as good as you think you are.

Less Control Means Better Results

As my professional life gets more and more complex, I find myself appreciating the talent around me more than ever. Members of the team provide not only expertise and enthusiasm for the work, but also bring a different perspective that ensures items aren't missed.

One of the pitfalls of getting wrapped up in "my world" is that my biases on how work should get done get in the way of other solutions. Embracing the differences and allowing the team to run with those different ideas is usually the best option.

I need to remember that more than I normally do.

How About You
Are you an HR control-freak? Are you so focused on managing every little issue that you've morphed into having a superiority complex and don't even know it? We can't control everything; nor should we! We need to pick our battles or risk losing not only the credibility of our teams...but also the results we're so fired up to achieve in the first place.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Lateral Leadership

Stay focused.
Don't lose sight of your goals.
Distractions will only slow you down.
Worry about your own business, not someone else's.

These are great little sayings...if you're not a leader.

A Broader View
The world has become very specialized. Academic programs, computer programs, physical training programs, and on and on...all target very specific skills or areas of interest. The same holds true in human resources. We have specialized many of the functional areas of HR in order to provide expert service to our customers. There is nothing wrong with that, unless you are in a human resources leadership role.

Why? Because in order to be a successful HR leader you must be able to see your company through an organizational lens, not a human resources lens.

"Tunnel vision is a blessing and a curse...on one hand you are able to focus your energy and resources to achieve important objectives; while simultaneously missing other critical factors that directly affect you and your team's success."

What's Your Viewpoint
Seeing both the end point and the never ending stream of variables hitting us each day is a skill we are not born with...it is acquired through glorious failure after glorious failure. That's why failure is so helpful! Let's take a look at a relevant HR example:

An employee needs to be terminated, and even though the documentation is clear and the process has been followed, there might be other considerations. 

Question: Will terminating the employee today compromise the weekend staffing plan and otherwise create a much larger problem?

Answer: Assuming safety and gross negligence are not involved, it is essential that HR discuss the operational impact with the Department leader before finalizing the timing of the termination. It may be best to wait a few more days.

This is taking a lateral view in an HR world that clings to a tunnel vision perspective.

How About You
Are you so caught up in doing the right "HR thing" that you are inadvertently losing credibility because you're out of touch with your organization's operational reality? Add a lateral view to your HR practice and challenge yourself to see things differently.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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