Remembering Heroes

The official start of summer.  School’s out.  We head to the beach and other outdoor activities.  Local bars along waterfronts celebrate, some with special drinks (think Pina Coladas, Margaritas and Mai Tais) to kick off the summer season.  However, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.  It was originally called Decoration Day – there is evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War.  It was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

Inspired by a poem “In Flanders Fields” (John McCrea, 1915) Moina Michael replied with her own poem about Poppy red signifying the blood of heroes.  She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial Day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. (“That blood of heroes never dies.”) She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need.  I still remember “Decoration Day” – the parades and veterans groups selling those paper red poppies and people wearing them with pride.

Traditional observances of Memorial Day have diminished over the years, but there are still some notable exceptions, such groups as placing small American Flags at gravestones at National Cemeteries and the Rolling Thunder annual motorcycle rally held in Washington DC each Memorial Day weekend.  Started in 1988 with 2,500 participants, it now draws 900,000 participants and spectators – a tribute to American war heroes and a call for the government’s recognition and protection of Prisoners of War (POWs) and those Missing in Action (MIAs).

While it is important to recognize that Memorial Day should be a day for observing and honoring fallen service members, it is also a good time to recognize what we can do for those veterans who have returned and are struggling, especially economically.  There is a heightened awareness and concerted efforts taking place on helping our returning veterans find jobs.  Companies who do business with the federal government are now required to engage in outreach efforts (affirmative action) to attract and hire veterans and establish a hiring benchmark for doing so.  What are some of the things that companies can do to hire veterans?

Here are some suggestions from the Department of Labor:

·       Work with the Local Veterans’ Employment Representative in the local employment service office (i.e., the One-Stop) nearest the contractor’s establishment

·       Work with the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office nearest the contractor’s establishment

·       Work with the veterans’ counselors and coordinators (“Vet-Reps”) on college campuses and outreach to protected veterans at educational institutions

·       Work with the service officers of the national veterans’ groups active in the area of the contractor’s establishment

·       Work with the veterans’ groups and veterans’ service centers near the contractor’s establishment

·       Work with the Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (TAP)

·       Work with any organization listed in the Employer Resources section of the National Resource Directory (http://www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/)

·       Consult the National Resource Director’s Veterans Job Bank

·       Consider taking the following actions, as appropriate, to provide meaningful employment opportunities to protected veterans

a.     Formal briefing sessions held on company premises with representatives from recruiting sources

b.     Tours

c.     Explanations of current and future job openings

d.     Position descriptions

e.     Worker specifications

f.      Explanations of the selection process

·       Participate in work-study programs with the Department of Veterans Affairs

·       Include protected veterans in career days, youth motivation days, and related community activities

Even if your company is not a government contractor, these are all good efforts to help our returning veterans get re-established.  As our guest Neal Henderson wrote last September 24, “Honor Veterans With Jobs!”

Situational Awareness

We were waiting on line to place an order for ice cream in a local establishment.  The man in front of us was standing with his head down looking at his smartphone, earplugs in place, listening presumably to music.  The woman at the counter said two or three times, "Next in line," before my husband tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.  The phone may have been smart, but he wasn't!  He wasn't aware of his situation.  I couldn't help but think how many other people would have walked around him and approached the counter to be served, leaving him consumed in his own world.

In his book "Your Brain at Work" author David Rock talks about a phrase coined by a former Microsoft VP.  The phrase is continuous partial attention.  It's what happens when people's focus is split continuously, resulting in constant and intent mental exhaustion.  Constant multi-tasking and being "on" any and all the time, anywhere and any place creates an artificial sense of constant crisis.  The brain is forced to be on alert far too much reducing mental capacity.  Rock explains that a study done at the University of London found that this can result reducing mental capacity by an average of ten points on an IQ test – similar effect to missing a night's sleep.  “Always on” is not a productive way to work.

We all have examples of people not being aware or engaged in what's happening around them.  Look at a typical meeting where participants are checking e-mail or taking calls, offering a hurried "excuse me" to others.  I'm often tempted to say, "No, you are not excused" but I doubt they'd get the point.  Aside from being rude, (I proudly admit to being old school on this one) it's distracting not only to others but for the individual tethered to his or her device.  It limits the individual's ability to fully participate and capture any important information, discussion or assignment that results from the meeting.  When called upon to participate, the individual may feel disoriented because there is a physiological limit to the amount information your brain can hold at one time.

These are some stunning facts that should make all leaders take note.  Employees can't give their best performance in the midst of constant distractions – and technology can be the biggest source of the distractions.  E-mails, text messages, phone calls, pop up reminders on computer screens, pings and vibrations often take attention away from the task or discussion on which the person should be focused.  Technology can be like a drug, and we've got to discipline ourselves to "just say no" when the situation requires it.

The other day I was working on a project with a critical deadline.  I set a ground rule for the day, no calls except for the client who owned this project.  Mid-afternoon another client called – he was supposed to call the day before.  I let the call go to voice mail because at that moment I was not prepared to talk about his issue and I didn't want to risk giving bad advice.  I sent an e-mail later in the day advising him when I'd be available and able to talk.  I assessed the situation and managed the distraction.  We talked the next day and the conversation was productive.

Right next to the ice cream store is another local self-serve eatery.  They've got a great sign at each cash register that speaks to this issue.  Be sure to check out this week's photo tweet to see it!

High Tech & High Touch – Apple’s Customer Experience

The customer experience is what keeps you coming back. I wasn’t one of the first to rush out and buy Apple products. Well, I was a pioneer in the ’80s with my Apple computer (back before the Mac – I can’t even remember the model), but then the PC became prevalent. Then I got an iPod when they were old news, and bought it at a retailer other than an Apple Store. After the iPad was on the market for about two years, I decided it was time to get one. I ventured into my local Apple store on a weekday afternoon to avoid the weekend rush, and I was thrilled with the personal service I received.

Apple is committed to having a customer-facing interaction with everyone who enters their stores. To do so, it follows five steps of customer service, and employees are trained to walk each customer through these steps, making them feel welcomed, empowered, happy, and eager to return. Cleverly, these five steps are an acronym for the company’s name “A-P-P-L-E.”

·       Approach customers with a personalized and warm welcome.

·       Probe politely to understand the customer’s needs (ask closed- and            open-ended questions).

·       Present a solution for the customer to take home today.

·       Listen for and resolve any issues or concerns.

·       End with a fond farewell and an invitation to return.

Approach – Every customer is greeted by an employee who is friendly, passionate, and committed to customer service. A customer’s perception of his or her experience begins to be formed in the first ten seconds of an interaction. Apple employees make those seconds count.

Probe – This simply means to ask a series of closed- and open-ended questions so the customer can be matched with the right product, not the most expensive product. In the Apple Store, a closed-ended question elicits a simple yes or no, such as “Will this be your first Mac?” An open-ended question is more general and gives the sales associate (specialist) more information to guide the conversation. For example, “What will you be using the iPad for?”

Present a solution – Store employees are reminded that they are not in the business of selling computers. They are in the business of “enriching lives.” A sale isn’t the only way to enrich the life of a customer and to build loyalty. For example, customers might be frustrated to walk into an Apple Store expecting to see a technical specialist (a “Genius”) only to be told they need an appointment at the Genius Bar. A trained specialist would offer an alternative solution such as, “We have appointments available tomorrow. May I sign you up or show you how to reserve an appointment on our web site?”

Listen – Store employees and specialists are trained to pick up on customers’ “unexpressed” wishes or concerns during the “probing” step. For example, some long-time PC users might be reluctant to learn a new operating system, but they don’t necessarily express that concern. A specialist who uncovers this information might spend more time describing One-to-One, a unique program for Mac customers who want to learn more about the computer in one-hour face-to-face sessions. It was intended to build a customer for life and often does just that.

End – How customers feel when they end a transaction significantly impacts how they perceive the brand and whether they are likely to recommend the brand to others. After a purchase, it’s not uncommon for an employee to give customers a business card in case they have more questions. Above all, give your customer a reason to return.

I’ve been back to both my local Apple Store and others around the country since purchasing my iPad. Sometimes just to purchase accessories, on another occasion to purchase an iPad for my husband. I always received the same level of service no matter the price of my purchase. I was delighted to turn my husband over to the “Genius,” who helped him set up and learn to use his iPad. I knew he was getting a high-touch experience.

Praise—A True Motivator

There is a great deal of research that says that praising employees is a great motivational tool.  Yet, so few managers seem to be comfortable with telling employees they’ve done something right or made a major contribution to the success of the organization.  We know that managers who praise are more likely to see better results.  Employees like to be seen doing the right thing and offering timely and specific praise is a powerful motivator.

In the April 2014 issue of Workforce Magazine, the authors tell a story of the former president of Southwest Airlines, Colleen Barrett.  Employees knew she wanted them to succeed and she showed them in many ways including writing thousands of handwritten notes to employees each year! 

Ken Blanchard, Vicki Stanford and David Witt of The Blanchard Cos. have a simple formula (TRUE) to help managers praise employees.

·       Timely—praise should be immediate and specific

·       Responsive—praise should be given individually the way that person wants to receive it (some people like to be praised in private while others want public praise)

·       Unconditional—no strings attached!

·       Enthusiastic—sincere and heart-felt words

Good managers are constantly looking for ways to offer praise to their good employees.  From personal experience I know that it doesn’t work to wait until the holidays to say thanks. I once worked for a manager who terrorized the office on a daily basis and then, once a year just before the holiday party would sit in the lobby for an hour and shake hands with people as they passed through and said “thanks for a great year!”  People found ways to avoid the lobby just because the thanks seemed so forced and dishonest.

I love the idea of having praise be part of your organizational culture!  Can you imagine how it would feel on your first day at a new job to be told that we look for people doing their jobs well and going “above and beyond” what is required and when we see it, we let them know!  And, encourage your employees to praise each other—praise can be contagious!

Praise doesn’t cost a dime and has the power to drive employees to great success—which drives the organization’s profits or membership or whatever you use to measure success.

Who will you praise today?  Make sure it is timely, responsive, unconditional and enthusiastic!

We've Always Done It This Way

Each year, some organization or another issues a list of words or phrases that are "in" for the New Year and words or phrases that are "out".   I think "we've always done it this way" is one phrase that should be out--this year and forever!  In fact, I would strike it from the English language if I had the power.

This phrase and all the others like it are morale downers and innovation killers.  This phrase is usually spoken by someone who has been around  the organization for a while who loves to share how in the deep, dark past of the organization's history, the idea you just put on the table was tried and why it was a dismal failure--so, let’s just doing what we've been doing is their response.

If we always do things the same way we've always done them, why do we hire smart, innovative people? Don't we bring in new people to learn from their experiences?  If not, why hire from the outside of the organization?  Certainly, if there is a good business reason why a new idea isn’t a good idea, don’t do it but odds are, there is something good in the new idea that deserves some thought or action—not just “but, we’ve always done it this way!”

This resistance to change is often portrayed in the following employee relations challenge that we too often witness:  A new manager comes into the department and tries to implement new processes.  There is immediate backlash and employees start complaining that what they are being asked to do is “not in my job description.”  (Just another way of saying “that won’t work.”)  Or if the new manager comes from outside the organization and is asked to be shown how something is done, the reaction can be “why should I have to teach him/her something?”  Once again, the implication is it’s not in my job description and I’m not going to try anything new. 

We have talked a lot in this blog about how difficult change is for many people so it comes as no surprise that when a new idea is floated, the knee jerk reaction from those resistant to change is to tell you why your idea won't work. Wouldn't it be better to say, “Great idea.  Let's try it for a month and see how it works." 

Let me know how you handle resistance to new ideas in your organization and if you agree with me that "we have always done it like this" should disappear from our vocabulary! 

Spring Forward—Season of Renewal

After the winter we’ve had in the Washington, DC area, we’re all wondering if we will ever see anything but cold, snowy days!  After several years of mild winters, we’ve had a winter for the record books.  During the months of this long winter, a frequent topic of conversation started with “will spring ever come?”

Spring is a time of renewal. Even with snow on the ground, it is exciting to see buds on the trees and the hearty crocuses pushing up through the frozen ground!  What a good time to reflect on what really is important.  We are all so busy trying to keep ahead of the projects on our plates so why not take a minute or an hour or a day or a weekend to relax and enjoy your favorite relaxing activity?

I am fortunate to have season tickets to the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC and our tickets are for Thursday nights. This month, I wasn’t able to go on Thursday so I switched my tickets to a Saturday matinee.  What a difference!  I was so much more relaxed and could actually enjoy the play without wondering what time it would be over (as you know, Shakespeare didn’t write short plays!), what time would I get home and how early my first meeting was on Friday morning!   

 Henry IV (part 1) was amazing!  Stacy Keach as Falstaff is a “must see”!  I so enjoyed the play and the relaxed atmosphere around me in the theatre. There is something very different about the Saturday crowd.  I imagine many people did as we did and enjoyed brunch at a great restaurant before heading over to the theatre.  I wasn’t tired and wasn’t looking at my watch during the performance to see when it might be over—I was able to enjoy the play on a very different level and, most importantly, I felt renewed by the experience.

And then there’s spring cleaning. I have no idea where this idea came from but I can guess it goes along with the idea of renewal.  After being cooped up with windows and doors shut tight during the winter, there is something to be said for opening up and breathing in clean, fresh air in spring.  How about in organizations? Spring is a great time to take a good look at how and why we do things.  What a great opportunity to meet with staff and talk about what’s working and what we might change.  And, spring is a good time to do something outdoors to celebrate getting through winter.  How can you re-energize your staff?  Maybe a picnic or a soft ball challenge in a local park to get everyone out of the office and enjoying a spring afternoon? Maybe a community event, such as donating staff time to clean up a local park or participate in a build day for your local Habitat for Humanity.

How will you celebrate spring this year?  Whatever you do, take time to enjoy warmer weather and this wonderful season of renewal!

Video Chat

The following question was posed to me by a reporter:  “If an employer has a geographically disbursed team can they conduct performance appraisals or disciplinary conversations over a video chat and record the conversation for documentation purposes?”   

 

Video chat is an excellent tool to reach a geographically disbursed team.  However, I found the notion of recording the conversation for documentation purposes both interesting yet somewhat troubling from an employee relations perspective.  Most employers would not consider recording (either audio taping or a video taping) a face-to-face discussion as a way of creating a record of the meeting.  What makes a video chat any different? 

Putting any legal considerations aside – I’ll leave that to the attorneys – I think asking an employee if they will consent to the recording would immediately make the employee uneasy and defensive.  If the nature of the conversation is to discuss strategies for improving employee performance (or conduct), then the goal of the meeting should be to have a positive and productive dialogue.  As an HR leader, I would be concerned about starting a discussion on what could be perceived as a negative note, namely that you want the conversation to be recorded and asking the employee for his/her consent.  My fear – it could cause the employee to shut down, become defensive, and not be a willing participant in the dialogue.  If the intent were really to provide feedback and have a two-way discussion about strategies for improvement, I don’t see this approach being effective.

Further, by recording the conversation, the employer could increase its risk if in fact the recording were used as evidence in a legal challenge (Court case, EEOC complaint, etc).  Consider the manager who may not be as skilled at having these critical conversations, loses his/her composure, and makes statements that would have better remained unsaid.  Now an electronic record of a discussion gone awry exists to the detriment of the employer. 

Managers should always maintain documentation of meetings with employees.  Keep in mind every meeting is not going to be a video chat.  Notes should be made of the key points and issues that were discussed and next steps agreed upon.  If some team members are geographically disbursed and others are in the same location as the manager and different approaches for creating documentation are used (video recordings for those in other locations and written records for those in the same location), this two-tier method could be perceived as unfair, causing another type of employee relations concern.  The Big Book of HR, Guidelines for Documenting Workplace Issues (written documentation) and a Sample Disciplinary Notice.  There are also chapters on Critical Conversations and Performance Management, with appendices devoted to documentation of performance issues.

When considering the use of video chats, especially to create a record, ask yourself if this aligns with your organizational culture.  My concern is that by creating recordings of video chats, you are sending a message that it’s okay for anyone to record things that go on in the workplace.  Is this the type of culture an employer wants to create? 

So, are there situations where situations where a face-to-face conversation (even if it’s just over video chat) is better than a phone conversation?

As I said earlier, video chat is an excellent tool to reach a geographically disbursed team.  With tools like Skype and Face Time, the technology has become much more affordable and I would encourage employers to use it frequently if it is feasible.  It helps to make the discussion more personal.   Using video chats for all performance appraisal discussions is an excellent example.  A discussion about disciplinary issues is also another opportunity to use video chat.  However, be wary of recording them especially if you have not sought legal counsel.