Next Shift In Blog Direction

My post on the Netflix HR job posting yesterday is the last time I will post on this topic. I thought I was finished with that several months ago but several things I have read recently prompted me to put up my thoughts just one more time. Done, that feels great because I am at an end point with seeing exactly the same issue arise every year for at least the last 12 years. Either HR changes radically and quickly or it will become something else altogether and I am not talking about a name change.

I will still talk about HR stuff though, when someone asks me a question I will respond, when I encounter a situation that someone asks for help in resolving, I will respond; I just won't post about HR as a profession needing to change anymore. It has been said too much already.

Here is a question I was asked a couple of weeks ago and the topic has come up a few more times since then: Do you think companies in Canada are practising ageism? The first person who asked me felt that she had been turned down for at least 2 jobs she had interviews for based on her perceived age once she arrived at the interview.

Yes,human beings that do hiring as part of their role in companies are practising ageism; not all of them but more than you might think given our Human Rights Act. It isn't hard to 'get away with it' either. So, is there a solution to this? The simple answer is yes: stop it, just stop it. Unfortunately the solution needs a solution, because people do this based on ill-advised beliefs and often are so convinced of just how accurate or relevant those beliefs are that there is nothing you can say to change their minds. Which leads to the next solution, conduct research on companies you are interested in working for and find out if they practice ageism (or any ism for that matter); if they do not, then apply there. If they do, they don't deserve your awesome contribution, they just don't.

Is It Too Late for HR? Maybe Not

It is time to speak up and share what you are doing if you are one of the HR people that are reflected in the 'want' list rather than the 'don't want' list.

I read a job posting for a management position in human resources with Netflix recently, this is the text of the posting:

“We are looking for a very Senior HR Business Partner at Netflix. This role will report to our Chief Talent Officer and will be an essential part of our success as we expand globally.

What we are looking for:

Someone who thinks business first, customer second, team and talent third. Someone with a profound understanding, respect and admiration for the craft of engineering and analytics. This person must be extraordinarily candid and possess demonstrable common sense. They will have read the Netflix culture deck and been drawn to the concepts. They will ponder and be able to discuss how they might put those concepts into action from an HR perspective (and consider what traditional HR practices may not apply).

The position(s) support several Technical Vice Presidents and their respective teams. The focus of the job is to define, coordinate and manage the talent in those teams to efficiently affect the business and customer goals. Leading, demonstrating, redefining and modeling the Netflix culture is job one. In addition there will be plenty of hiring, firing, coaching and organizational alignment work.

Candidates will likely have had experience in a large, global company as well some start up experience. Must have influenced management at the VP/C level.

What we are not looking for:

A Change Agent, an OD Practitioner, a SHRM Certificate, a People Person, a policy or guideline writer.”

The list of what they are looking for is important to Netflix, but the list of what they are NOT looking for is important to human resources practitioners. This will increasingly become a familiar list of wants and don’t wants in positions for human resources practitioners. Several people tweeted out comments regarding this posting in which they clarified that “they” meet the above criteria and some reiterated the old “HR doesn’t get it” theme.

Then a few days later I read a blog posting by Lance Haun who blogs about human resources in which he discusses why you should rethink your career if you want to get into HR because you are a people person. http://rehaul.com/love-helping-people-dont-go-into-hr/ The comments below this post are somewhat amusing as several people jump in to say that “they” of course are both people persons as well as business focused people; or ensuring that all readers know that this blog doesn’t apply to them, without actually adding anything helpful to the discussion. And no discussion about HR can escape the inclusion of at least some of the assertions that: HR people are bullies, siloed, not business oriented, bureaucratic and more and this commentary is no exception. Okay, that last sentence while accurate is not one that I agree with, as in any profession there are people that will display all of those characteristics, and your encounter with one or two like that are not indicative of everyone in that professional group.

Yes, I have been known to post about human resources practitioners needing to step it up and make the necessary changes to start providing the type of service that the businesses require and that the profession is simply too slow to change. What I think now is that the executives have decided they are tired of waiting for human resources to make the changes and so they are going to make the changes. They are going to start hiring people that can do what needs to be done and it is quite possible that many practitioners will find themselves left out of the playpen.

So, what are human resources practitioners going to do? Some are going to find they are working with career coaches to determine what career is best for them; maybe a lot of practitioners will be doing this. Others are going to continue doing the ‘right’ thing because they already are and some are going to find they are increasingly feeling like they are being pushed out. Just like everyone in any profession that doesn’t adopt a continuous learning + application of learning perspective and that doesn’t adapt their current thinking to what they really need to do. Oh, and by the way, if you are in HR you really, really need to start bouncing ideas around and looking for resource materials outside the HR realm-that is where your clients are and you can’t provide what they need unless you know what they need and how it will work best in their business.

So, don’t put your hand up and say “not me, not me” but do share your most brilliant ideas that demonstrate how you, in your HR practice are making the kind of difference in your organization that companies like Netflix are demanding. In other words, share your leadership.

HR & The Seat At The Table Conundrum

I just really wanted to use the word 'conundrum' in a post although the whole HR identity crises is a conundrum. On the one hand articles stating that HR wants "a seat at the table" (translation: they want to be seated at the boardroom table with the "C" executives) have been popping up pretty consistently over the past dozen years; on the other hand employees and employees that are managers often comment that HR spends too much time in their seats and not enough "out there"-taking in what is happening operationally.

It is true that the profession is changing albeit slowly but the question is: Is HR on the right path? Is the profession chasing after the right goals?

Consider that a couple of recent articles based on surveys (Price Waterhouse Coopers) of CEO's indicate that while said CEO's are clear about what they want from HR-that HR still isn't getting it and thus still are not providing the deliverables. So where exactly is the disconnect between the CEO's and HR coming from? How is it that two roles that require "excellent or strong" communication skills can't seem to get the service wanted/provided discussion on track?

What needs to happen to get Human Resources professionals and Chief Executive Officers talking with each other? The fact that this same disconnect has been going on for so long leaves the question open as to why the CEO's aren't demanding that HR deliver or take action to ensure they are getting what they claim to need for the future of the business. What do you think? What are you doing in your organization to meet the needs of the business going forward?

Do Lists Make Life Simpler?

I used to work with someone who, when asked what his plans for the weekend were would respond with a list-yes- every minute of his weekend was planned out and each item was listed in the order it was to be accomplished, including the fun stuff. Even though I have met many more people that like lists I think he might be the most dedicated yet.

A business manager I once worked with was known as the ‘checklist’ manager; as long as each item on his list was checked off he considered the project successful, whether or not it really was. The checklist prevailed.

I have made the odd list now and again although they usually end up in the recycling bin long before any of the items get checked off-the lack of spontaneity in lists doesn’t fit too well with my personality. Yet, I have never missed a deadline in my life-ever; and I don’t forget to do things no matter how much stuff is floating around in my non-list brain. I have a feeling that Terry Small (http://www.terrysmall.com/archive.asp) could provide some insight to why that is but for me just knowing it works is good enough. I will make lists for other people if they let me know that is what they need from me, other than that my lists tend to be incomplete and rarely revisited.

As some of you know I have been doing volunteer work only for the past few years but have now decided that I miss getting paid (more than I thought I would) and have decided to get back into consulting on a fee/project basis. When I first came to this conclusion back in January there was the question of what, when, how, who; but the only ideas that were coming up were met with a strong resistance that I could not identify. So, off I went in search of answers, talking to trusted friends, reading whatever I could get my hands on etc. And you know what I kept encountering? Lists- yes, lists of what I should do to figure things out and some of those lists emphatically stated that I needed to make lists. No wonder it has taken me six months to figure it all out. But it is figured out and not a list in sight.

So, what works for you? Do you use lists to guide you through life or does spontaneity work better for you?

Do Lists Make Life Simpler?

I used to work with someone who, when asked what his plans for the weekend were would respond with a list-yes- every minute of his weekend was planned out and each item was listed in the order it was to be accomplished, including the fun stuff. Even though I have met many more people that like lists I think he might be the most dedicated yet.

A business manager I once worked with was known as the ‘checklist’ manager; as long as each item on his list was checked off he considered the project successful, whether or not it really was. The checklist prevailed.

I have made the odd list now and again although they usually end up in the recycling bin long before any of the items get checked off-the lack of spontaneity in lists doesn’t fit too well with my personality. Yet, I have never missed a deadline in my life-ever; and I don’t forget to do things no matter how much stuff is floating around in my non-list brain. I have a feeling that Terry Small (http://www.terrysmall.com/archive.asp) could provide some insight to why that is but for me just knowing it works is good enough. I will make lists for other people if they let me know that is what they need from me, other than that my lists tend to be incomplete and rarely revisited.

As some of you know I have been doing volunteer work only for the past few years but have now decided that I miss getting paid (more than I thought I would) and have decided to get back into consulting on a fee/project basis. When I first came to this conclusion back in January there was the question of what, when, how, who; but the only ideas that were coming up were met with a strong resistance that I could not identify. So, off I went in search of answers, talking to trusted friends, reading whatever I could get my hands on etc. And you know what I kept encountering? Lists- yes, lists of what I should do to figure things out and some of those lists emphatically stated that I needed to make lists. No wonder it has taken me six months to figure it all out. But it is figured out and not a list in sight.

So, what works for you? Do you use lists to guide you through life or does spontaneity work better for you?

Pondering Social Gaffes-A New Perspective?

There has been quite an upsurge in social media/networking related gaffes lately (isn't gaffes a good word for this as it is defined as a "social blunder"?) and mixed into this is the debate about the online 'outing' of people involved in the riot in Vancouver two weeks ago.

What strikes me about so much of the commentary is that 'social media/networks' are commonly named as the culprits in whatever problem is at hand. Social media/network tools are just that-tools, any gaffes that occur while using those tools are created by the user.

Social media/networking tools can be used in a positive or negative manner-the choice and the responsibility for which way it goes is up to the user. This is why it is a good idea for parents to teach responsible use of social media to their children and provide ongoing coaching; it is also a good idea for managers in organizations to ensure that there is an effective social media policy and that employees are trained, coached and reminded as to appropriate use of the tools. Yes, it is the individuals responsibility but this is still a fairly new tool which is now experiencing rapid growth and change.

The 'how to' of using the tools is a technical training need; the 'what' of the content that one posts falls into the realm of interpersonal skills, reputation management and personal responsibility and accountability. The technical training is relatively easy, the personal development skills are a little more complex but you can start with respect-for oneself and for others.

A Follow Up Thought

How to handle the situation of an employee that is identified via photo or video or a social networking site as a participant in the riot is done on a case by case basis and it will be interesting to see if any of the people fired in the initial days challenge the firing. I think that the strong emotional response to the riots by many, coupled with the photos, videos and social network posts have created a unique situation.

People are applying pressure to some of these employers to fire the involved employee and in concern for the reputation of their business they are responding quickly. In a normal process this is less likely to occur and the employee is more likely to seek professional advice and challenge the firing. This situation isn't 'normal'-the level of public shaming of the riot participants means the employers have evidence that the reputation of their business is at stake in the form of emails and letters from the public. Perhaps the people fired will prefer to avoid as much further publicity as possible while they deal with the justice system and try to figure out how to rebuild their lives, which means they are less likely, in this public arena to challenge the firing. But we shall see. Human Resources professionals should understand the legal perspective of such firings and we also know that outcomes are based on the whole picture.

I would caution employers to use less dramatic means than immediate dismissal until a proper investigation is completed but I think most HR professionals have experienced the 'knee jerk' style of response from a business owner or manager that feels the reputation or security of their business is on the line. We must be able to offer temporary bridging solutions and counsel in considering the situation objectively.

Two of the three fired have publicly admitted their participation in events although both of them seem to be struggling with understanding why their integrity is being questioned.I am saddened that some members of the public are showing the same lapse in judgement in their calls to destroy the lives of these participants, that some are employing threats and bullying to vent their anger.We may see some precedence setting in these cases in the coming months depending on how each person chooses to proceed.

What Will You Do If An Employee is Identified in the Riot?

The aftermath of the riot last week is still in the early stages, damages are being assessed, photos and videos and social networking sites are being reviewed to identify participants and many people are posting articles, blogs and comments on what they think caused it and what should happen to people who were involved.

So far at least three people have been fired from their jobs, either because they were identified in a photo or video or because they bragged about their participation on a social networking site and were associated with a business. There may be more such firings over the coming weeks. Clearly the costs to business are not restricted to the downtown core as the businesses that had these employees not only have their reputation at stake, they now have a cost to hire and train replacement staff. There will also be a ripple effect of costs related to these people now being unemployed and likely will face greater challenges in being reemployed.

The three employees noted above were all fired within a few days of the riot based on the publicity generated by the photos and videos and understandably business owners/managers will have concerns about their companies’ reputation. One of the three was fired because she was identified as stealing from a store during the riot, which raises another concern for an employer.

Is an immediate decision to fire these employees the best choice? The emotions in the metro area are running high right now and decisions are somewhat forced by the demands of customers. However, what decisions are made in calmer times when an employee is alleged to have committed a crime? Rarely are they immediately fired, sometimes they are suspended with or without pay, sometimes they are transferred to a low risk role temporarily until a proper investigation takes place.

I don’t think that there is one right answer but what do you think? What will you do if an employee in your organization is identified as a participant in the riot?

Leadership and What Happened In Vancouver

I am sure many of you have already read or heard the news about the riot in Vancouver yesterday. After reading posts from some business owners whose business premises were badly damaged and/or looted last night it led me to think about how the leaders or managers in these organizations will help employees deal with the effects at work. Also, how the business owners and managers deal with their own feelings about seeing all the hard work and effort that went into building an attractive and successful business treated with such violence and disrespect.

There are several points to consider in this:

Some of the businesses were open and employees were trapped in the buildings while the rioters broke windows, trashed the interiors and fittings and looted products. They likely experienced emotions ranging from fear to anger. Their families and friends may have been at home worrying about their safety.

Other employees may have been watching from home and wondering what this meant for the upcoming shifts, their income and what kind of damage they would have to face when they returned to work. The potential loss of income because their workplace was severely damaged may cause serious problems for employees that rely on each paycheque to manage. The uncertainty as to when they will again be scheduled to work, what might be asked of them in repairing and rebuilding the business and what the business leadership will do in response will be part of their thoughts in the coming days.

What Business Leaders and Managers Can Do

First acknowledge your own feelings regarding this and share this calmly with employees. If it is possible to hold an in person meeting with employees-do so and allow people to talk about their concerns. Answer questions that you have answers to and let them know approximately when you will be able to answer questions that you may not have answers to right away.

Include employees in the repair and rebuild process in any way possible-taking action to get back on track is encouraging and allows people to replace negative emotions with a sense of purpose and pride.

In circumstance where it isn't possible to meet in person with employees set up an online presence to post information and encourage and respond to questions and concerns.

Provide a clear and concise information sheet for employees detailing accurate information that they can share with others and to respond to customer inquiries.

What suggestions do you have for business leaders and managers? What have you done that has helped?

How Can The MBTI Help Me Work With Others?

One example is when you consider people who have opposite preferences but need to problem solve.

ISTJ
Introversion
Sensing
Thinking
Judging

ENFP
Extraversion
iNtuition
Feeling
Perceiving

Understanding these preferences is very helpful when problem solving with co-workers. Each of the above preferences approaches problem solving from a different ‘place’ and understanding this means that you can reduce the noise in problem solving and recognize that each person will make a valuable contribution but will begin and end from different places.

So, ISTJ will “Look at Facts” then "Apply Logic” then "Consider People” then "Look at the larger picture."

And, ENFP will “Look at the larger picture”, then “Consider People”, then “Apply Logic”, then “Look at Facts”

Each person proceeds through the process from different places. What often happens when we don’t understand preferences is that the ISTJ makes a statement that the ENFP takes exception to, certain that they are missing the people aspect, or the ISTJ thinks the ENFP is 'too' focused on feelings. Yet if each person understood that it is simply where we start from they could have the conversation stay on track. Let each person make a contribution and then make a decision based on the information provided.

More About Tests and Assessments

Following up my post on assessment and tests in the workplace I thought I would talk about the MBTI ® specifically today. Partly because this instrument is so widely used but also because it is subject to a fair amount of inappropriate use and misunderstanding. Note: I am putting up two posts today-one on appropriate use of the MBTI and the second with a little example of how it can help us work with others.

When we take the training to become certified to use the MBTI we receive an Ethical Guidelines document that reiterates the appropriate and inappropriate uses of the instrument and are expected to comply with these guidelines.

You may have noticed:

There are several questionable sites on the internet that pretend to provide a ‘free’ MBTI questionnaire but it is important to know that you are not getting the full questionnaire and that the results are most often wrong.

In addition the proper use of the MBTI requires that the certified practitioner provide a consultation or debriefing on the report-both to verify the results, explain what the results mean and provide some tips on how to use them.

There are some websites that offer the full version of the MBTI for a fee (usually between $79-99) but either do not offer the consultation or make the consultation optional. This means that they are purchasing the online questionnaire and charging a fee for providing you access and the report. Both practices are considered to be inappropriate uses of the instrument and you will not realize the potential of the report by using such services.

Most practitioners that are using the instrument appropriately will offer access to the questionnaire and the consultation for a range of costs between $125-$400. Each offers a different level of consultation so it is up to the client to determine what they want to achieve.

There have also been many reports of companies using the MBTI for hiring purposes. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is not approved for use in hiring as it details preferences but does not tell us anything about individuals’ abilities. It is also true that it is possible for someone with one specific set of preferences to utilize the other preferences when appropriate and often simply need guidance on how to do so.

Is This You? More Online Thoughts about Respect

Recently I wrote about your Social Networking Profile talking mostly about sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and blogs. Today I am taking this further to talk about how we refer to to others online as there seems to be an increasing trend towards labeling groups of people and then referring to them in demeaning or derogatory terms and this is being done by people whose business or professions rely to a large extent on their online or 'social' presence.

One person I follow on Twitter re-tweeted the following: "people who use twit validation services are lazy and don't get the point of Social Media. Brands that use it are even worse." A Business Insider contributor wrote a scathing and insulting article call "Why I will Never, Ever Hire A Social Media Expert: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-i-will-never-ever-hire-a-social-media-expert-2011-5. Both writers used broad generalizations and demeaning terminology to describe entire groups of people. I wish this was something that rarely happened but unfortunately it isn't and the Business Insider article was retweeted many times, it showed up in my stream 47 times in two days so one can only imagine just how viral it became.

Would you speak to a customer face to face like that? Would you speak to co-workers, your boss, your friends or family like that? If 'social media' is about relationships does it make sense to develop those relationships based on trust and respect? What do you think? What thoughts go through your mind when you read this type of article, tweet or blog?

Donations, Giving, Volunteering and Community

I am going a little off topic today but bear with me, there is a workplace mention in here as well. The topic of giving back to our community, sharing with others when we can and ensuring that when we can we help our fellow humans out is something that I find myself revisiting frequently. With the advent of Social Media the requests to help out with a cash donation, clothing or household products and your time we are now inundated with such requests multiple times every single day. It isn’t possible to meet every request and we need to sort through them all to decide which we are going to contribute to.

In one week alone I received requests for cash, goods, lottery purchase or time as follows:

Hospital Foundation- cash-via snail mail
Cancer Society – cash-via email
Cancer Fundraisers (outside the agency) – 8 requests to support various people in various fundraising events; via email, Twitter, snail mail
Heart & Stroke – cash
Lung Association-cash in the form of support for an event
Orphanage in Africa- cash plus time support for a fundraising event-via email
Big Brothers-clothing or household goods-via telephone
Lottery Ticket Purchase for a hospital foundation (different hospital) fundraiser-via snail mail
Japan Tsunami Fundraisers- 7 for cash-via Twitter, Facebook, on the street
Slave Lake Fire Fundraiser- 12 via Facebook, Twitter and email
Doctors Without Borders-cash-via email
School Fundraiser-to purchase a product as a fundraising effort for school activities
We are Just Girls-on the street (time)
Various Eco Groups-on the street- 4 requests for time
Request for cash for 2 different animal care related fundraisers; via Facebook, Twitter and email.

All that in just one week, and I did not even list the number of people on the street who simply ask for cash for themselves, the inquiry as to whether I want to donate to whatever charity the grocery store or drugstore is sponsoring conveniently at the cash register and then there is the Food bank donation boxes right at the exit from the store. A little overwhelming but this has become a fairly typical week. Even if I were to not read email, listen to voice mail or answer the phone, stay offline entirely and not open my snail mail box-if I leave home, I will be asked for money or to “take a minute to hear about” whatever organization has volunteers on the street that day. Lately several organizations have started posting 2 people on each corner at each end of a one block area where there are many shops that have a large customer base –so as you go about your daily shopping and household related errands you are asked by 8 different people to “take a minute” to listen to their pitch.
These requests also permeate the workplace: our coworkers ask us to sponsor them in runs, walks, climbs, cycles etc. in which they are fundraising. Parents bring in whatever product their child is selling as a fundraiser-wrapping paper, gift cards, chocolate covered almonds etc. The executive teams ask employees to donate to certain organizations by sponsoring the United Way payroll deduction program and offering paid time off to volunteer. In addition job seekers with little experience or who are temporarily out of work volunteer in order to gain experience and skills to show potential employers what they can do. Volunteering in many organizations has come to resemble the same process as obtaining a paid role-multiple interviews and background checks take place so you can provide your expertise and time to the organization.

It is all so convenient now-you don’t really have to make much effort to donate and then feel like you have contributed-made a difference or helped someone. Many fundraisings now include the potential to win something in return for your donation. You can volunteer your time and gain references to pass on to potential employers.

This is great –right?

How do you feel about it? How do you decide who, what, when and how much you will donate or contribute to any of these organizations or fundraiser events? Do we know how effective our donations are? How much goes to providing whatever the donation is meant to provide and how much goes to pure administration? How much of your donation ends up in the bank accounts of the marketers that set up and run the fundraising programs? Also, how much money via your tax dollars are the various levels of government giving to all these requestors?

This whole donating/contributing machine has become a rather large industry, it employs hundreds of thousands of people brings in vast amounts of cash, utilizes hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours and likely is making a significant inroad onto reducing suffering, bringing education to more people, providing basic needs to those who require some assistance and more. Yet, when you consider the sheer volume of requests for funds each and every day-do you ever wonder if your contributions are as effective as you would like them to be?

Performance Reviews, 360's, Personality Tests-What Is Really Happening?

Managers in organizations seek out ways to measure and improve the performance of employees and develop "high potential" employees for placement in the company succession plan. You likely have experienced some or several versions of performance reviews, perhaps participated in a 360 Review process or been asked to complete an assessment such as the Myers Brigg Type Indicator (registered trademark) or the Emotional Intelligence/Quotient questionnaire. So what do these have in common, how are they different and how are they intended to be used?

Traditional forms of performance review focus on the past, the manager completes a form that assigns a rating on some type of scale. Most of these reviews have a mid-year assessment and a year end assessment and some will include areas of development for the future. Critics of such reviews point out that regular feedback throughout the year has a greater impact on performance than simply completing a form twice a year  that focusses on events that are too far in the past. Another common complaint about this process is that managers use these forms as the only method of communicating problems with an employees performance, often blindsiding the employee at review time. Organizations will also use the ratings from these forms to determine pay increases where merit increases are in place and in some programs they will also use them to determine year over year performance for promotion or termination purposes.

360 Reviews are best used for development purposes and not intended to be used as performance reviews or for determination of pay or promotion. 360 reviews can provide valuable information to the subject of the review as to how peers, direct reports and their managers view their performance and cultural fit. They are however, subjective reviews and can be affected by recents events around the person being reviewed. Employees that do receive 360 reports should have allocated coaching time to help them determine what to focus on and how to write a development plan for competency areas that will affect their career.

Myers Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI) groups respondents into 16 different types (self-report style) which are made up of people's preferences for four mental processes and the tendency to focus more on the outer or inner world. It is important to remember that these types are preferences and do not provide any information regarding ability. The MBTI-Step II includes 40 additional facets which further identify individual preferences. This type of information is very useful for team development purposes, developing interpersonal skills and as one aspect of career planning. The MBTI is not to be used for hiring purposes as it does not provide information about ability but it is useful during employment in helping employees work effectively together. It can be used in career planning as one aspect of helping people identify what they enjoy doing and researching careers that will include those activities.

The Emotional Intelligence report reflects, in simple terms, an individuals self-report on how they manage their own emotions and respond to those around them. This instrument can be a useful starting point for people who would like to improve their relationship building skills and can be valuable in an organizational setting where one will be working with a diverse range of people.

All of the above assess an individual in some way and provide opportunities, if used effectively to improve skills or recognize when it is time to take on a new challenge or consider a change in a career path. Managers in organizations often bring such assessments into the workplace in an effort to improve productivity, reduce turnover, increase their competitive edge-all great goals.

It is important to ensure that you are choosing the right instrument, that you understand that each instrument has limits to what it can accomplish and that any instrument can only accomplish the desired goals if used effectively and if it fits into other initiatives within the organizational strategy.

I will be talking more about some of these instruments over the next few weeks, the good, the bad and the dusty shelf syndrome included.

What experience have you had with any of the above? Please share your anecdotes and what you learned from the experience. I look forward to hearing from you.

Professional Social Networking Profile

While conducting my research into social media last year it became clear that many people don't view their online activities from a professional or personal image perspective. Some people will post a reasonably professional profile on LinkedIn but their Twitter account too often has problematic tweets and I think most of us are aware of just how problematic Facebook postings can be. Often I have seen profiles on LinkedIn that are fine but then the owner of that profile posts inappropriate content in groups or falls into the flame wars syndrome thus lessening the effectiveness of their profile. Other people post a profile on LinkedIn that  is so poorly done that recruiters will pass them by quickly and they may then lose an opportunity at a job.

I follow a few people on Twitter who readily identify with the organization they work for but some of their posts are inappropriate for an online forum which alters the opinion of readers regarding the poster but also gives a less than stellar image of the company they work for.

The prevalence of swearing on all social networks is disturbing, not only are those words losing any real impact as they are repeated so frequently but they leave you wondering if the posters lack the ability to discuss or disperse their thoughts with some sign of critical thinking.

I read the link to Justin Goldborough's blog (http://justincaseyouwerewondering.com/2011/05/08/the-growing-need-for-a-tact-counselor) which coincided with a discussion I had this weekend regarding the need to teach people how to handle themselves online. The problems cited included my points above but also pointed out that among the high school, college and university crowds social networks have become another source of bullying and the serious mental health issues that arise from this. The conversation also covered the perhaps surprising results that many well educated professionals make mistakes online as well. When I think back over similar discussion over the past year and the increasing number of workplace disciplinary actions or firings over online postings it is clear that a much stronger focus needs to be put on this topic for everyone.

Inappropriate posts on any social networking site or blog comments section can derail a career, deny you admission to the post secondary school of your choice, get you fired or find you the target of a lawsuit. In many cases you may not even know that you were passed over for a job, promotion, contract or school because of something on a social networking site as the people researching these will simply eliminate you without telling you why.

I am offering a Professional Social Networking Profile consultation (Spring Promotion is $50 or a group rate can be negotiated for groups of 12 people or less) to help registrants develop a professional profile and clean up any online data they may already have. This is not a course on how to use social networks from a technical or marketing standpoint but how to present a positive image for you online.

If you or someone you know are interested in registering for this consultation or wish to arrange a group session in the Vancouver area please email me at kwills@telus.net.

toonlet: HR Is Fun-Right?

toonlet: HR Is Fun-Right?

Just for fun on a rainy Friday. Chris Burns http://potential-chrisburns.blogspot.com/ told me about Toonlet, so I *had* to try it out.

I am curious to hear more tales from the field-what are your experiences with HR? What do you think they do? Tell us your fun, sad, weird and odd stories-oh- and if you have some happy, positive stories we absolutey want to hear about those.

Personal Energy Rules-What Are Yours

Rule number one: direct your energy where it is most likely to make a positive difference
Rule number two: when you feel like you are beating your head against a brick wall, refer to rule number one.

Rules one and two are one version of 'advice' I have often resorted to in my work with people over the years and in my personal life. It wasn't always well received and I was somewhat puzzled as to why - after all it seemed pretty logical to me. It was in my work with an executive coach years ago that the light bulb finally clicked on, she mentioned one day that I often don't say out loud everything pertinent to a topic, almost as if I am assuming that the other person is filling in the blanks themselves. She noted that I often defended others who do some ranting by pointing out that people often need to vent, be heard and calm down before they can move on to constructive action or problem solving. Yet when I blithely hand out rule number one and two, I just might be forgetting to mention the venting requirement. This leaves some people who receive this message with the impression that I don't understand just how overwhelming the problem they have feels to them. Years later I still have to remind myself to complete my thoughts out loud as the Vulcan mind meld has yet to assert itself.

The rather divisive nature of the political discussion in this country in the past 7 years brought another aspect of rule numbers one and two alive for me-some people are firmly hanging onto their opinions and are not open to discussion-they state in a very directive manner that their version of the ways things are is correct and not open for discussion. In this case rule number one and two stand alone-there is little to be gained from trying to engage in discussion on that topic with people who have made up their minds-you can however continue to direct your energy where it is most likely to make a difference. We have limited personal energy and resources-it makes sense to use them wisely.

Do you have 'rules' about how you spend your personal energy? Do you have any anecdotes about when sticking to your 'rules' made a positive difference? I would love to hear your stories.

Interviews-Are You Getting Good Advice?

Having read many articles, participated on LinkedIn discussions and visited interview advice websites lately my question this week is: Are you getting good advice? 

Much of the advice comes from people who by their profiles would appear to really *know* what they are talking about, however much of the advice is generic or outdated and the diversity of opinions in the discussion forums make it clear that this type of advice simply is not going to work for everyone.

These are my thoughts on the topic, based on interviewing many people over many years:

 What to do before the interview


(1) If you know someone that works at the organization you have an interview with ask them what the dress code is and what type of clothing people are expected to wear at an interview; if you do not know anyone then call the person who first contacted you to arrange the interview, or the receptionist or the HR department and ask them what appropriate interview wear is for their company. I read an article this morning that advised all interviewees to wear suits (and women to wear 'skirted' suits) for interviews. Yet a friend who recently interviewed with a technology company was told specifically to wear jeans; one workplace I worked in asked interviewees to wear business casual, another workplace asked for clean, neat one step up from jeans casual and another requested suits. It makes sense to ask the question of the organization you are interviewing with specifically what is appropriate for their workplace.

(2) Ask how long you should expect to be at the location for the interview so that you can plan any dependent care, transportation needs and other scheduling needs around this. Add at least one hour to the expected time frame as often these things can run late. If not you get an hour back-enjoy it.

(3) Research the organization thoroughly, read everything on their website, check their stock performance if applicable, read every news release or industry article you can find, ask people who work for the company (or have worked for the company) about the internal culture. It is not enough to spend 5 minutes on the web page, it can become pretty clear in a well conducted interview that you haven't done your homework if that is all you do. Search social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter streams and if applicable Facebook for further information. Prepare your own questions to ask, questions that show you have done your homework and are interested in the future of the organization are best. If it is a first interview asking about vacations and other benefits may not be your best choice, it often turns hiring managers off. You may be asked about salary, be ready to answer this question and try not to make it a waffle answer-if you are willing to take a drop in pay for a coveted position say so in a way that lets the interviewer know you have thought it through.

(4) Once you have established appropriate dress for the interview ensure well ahead of time that you have that attire clean, neat, ready to wear (and if you haven't worn it for awhile try it on :)). Do not wait until the day of the interview to do this.

(5) Ensure that you know exactly how you will get to the interview location, yes go so far as to try out your transit/drive route ahead of time (preferably at the same time of day that you will be going on the day of the interview); then add at least 30 minutes to your travel time on the interview day. This will allow for any traffic problems or other problems that may arise on that day-being early can be managed by going for a walk or having a cup of coffee nearby; being late is hard to overcome. If you need to make daycare arrangements for that day ensure you have a back up plan in case your arrangement falls through.

(6) Jot down notes about your accomplishments, your specific contributions to projects, dealing with difficult customers/co-workers and who inspired you and why.There is a good chance that you will be asked the weakness/strengths question so decide what the answer to those are ahead of time, and do not follow the not good advice to turn a weakness into a strength-few people fall for that. Be honest, for example if you have difficulty with meeting deadlines say so and say what you are doing to learn to overcome this. Why make notes about this ahead of time? Because all too often candidates draw a blank during the interview, preparing ahead helps avoid this. Also, ask previous co-workers or teachers to tell you what strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments and contributions they observed about you-you may well be surprised at how much you have forgotten.

(7) Prepare a list of at least three references ahead of time, contact each one and make sure to get their agreement to act as a reference. Include several forms of contact information for each reference listed if available, phone numbers, email address and snail mail address.

(8) Bring a copy of your resume with you even if the interviewer already has one, sometimes they have one that may not be current if they retrieved it from a job board and as sometimes happens, the interviewer may show up unprepared-but that doesn't mean you should.

(9) Before leaving at the end of the interview ask for contact information such as email so you can send a thank-you note to the interviewer(s) later. Some people like to send these by regular mail or to drop it off later but these days many people find email an appropriate method.

Preparing carefully ahead of time will not only impress the interviewer(s) but will help you be more relaxed and therefore able to respond to questions effectively and feel more confident.

What Happened To Comments?

I linked Disqus to my blog yesterday and realized after that comments left by readers had disappeared in the process. I haven't figured out a way to get them back as yet and they are missed!

Trying new tools is fun and can be effective for accomplishing my goals, so when this kind of glitch occurs my thoughts can not help but shift to my own personal principles of change management. Overall this is a pretty small change but my response to it is a little check in as to where my resilience stands right now.

1) Change happens-accept that and dare I say, perhaps you may even enjoy it. I like trying new products and having new experiences but even for enthusiasts like me sometimes changes don't seem all that great. The key is to figure out how to turn that experience around or if that isn't possible maybe it simply isn't worth spending too much time and energy on. Perspective, as my Norwegian friend Astri likes to say, is a "leveller"-in other words if a change feels negative find a way to get perspective. For me that usually means talking to a trusted friend and sometimes it means a walk on the beach-both those activities clear my head and allow me to look at things anew.

2) Change can be good and it can be bad and it can have no effect at all-take the time to figure out what    each change means to you and how you will put it into perspective, take advantage of it, learn something new or shrug it off. There are often opportunities in change that may not be obvious at first. Finding those opportunities means you have to stop focussing on what is 'lost' and discover what might be gained. Sometimes this is simply adapting and sometimes it becomes a positive gain that may not have been discovered otherwise. Complacency when life is going well happens to most of us, this is part of why change often comes as a surprise. Developing the competencies that increase our resilience on an ongoing basis is important to being able to make the necessary adaptation when change occurs.

3) If I am feeling stressed in an unhealthy way about a change, it is time to check in with the current status of my resilience-have I been taking care of this?

Those three points work for me. What works for you?

Is It Leadership?

Google ‘leadership’ and in six seconds 199,000,000 links appear on your screen. Lately, I have found myself asking the question-has the word leadership lost its meaning? Do we apply the label of leader too readily today?

Leader used to be the term applied to the few who consistently displayed competencies that motivated others to follow their vision. Gandhi and Mother Theresa still evoke appreciation from people who have only read or watched videos that told the stories that best modeled their leadership skills. It is a rare day that I don’t read an article in which someone has quoted Gandhi-what he said resonates with many even today.

So Where Did All This Leadership Come From?

Over the past decade many organizations began to send their managers and “high potential” employees to leadership training courses and many universities developed leadership specialties within various disciplines and some as a specialty in and of itself. High schools have leadership programs. Volunteer organizations recruit leaders.

Gradually the roles of CEO, vice-president, manager, director and supervisor were referred to as leadership teams.

A significant percentage of those 1999,000,000 articles advise us that there are 5, 10, 20, 30, 50…things leaders must do, competencies they must have, character traits they must exhibit; there are many articles that debate whether leadership is innate or can be developed. To my question as to whether a ‘bad or evil’ person should be referred to as a leader, one pundit firmly replied that “if a person has followers, they are a leader”; a stance that sits uneasily in my mind.

Identifying Leadership in the Hiring Process

Job advertisements sometimes include the requirement to “be able to prove demonstrated leadership skills”; candidates endeavour to convince interviewers that they should be hired because they have strong leadership skills. Identifying those leadership skills often proves to be difficult and the final assessment may be a little fuzzy at best.

What leadership skills are transferable to different situations? Does the leadership style that works at Apple also work at TD Canada Trust? Are managers really leaders?