Auld Lang Syne

I’m not trying to rush the end of the year, but I had an awesome month!  Well, not a calendar month, but a period of 30 days.  It started with a birthday party.  There was a surprise birthday party for a former co-worker, Al, who has remained a good colleague.  The party was out of town, but worth the three-hour drive.  At the party I connected with two others, Sue and Jim, whom I'd not seen in a very long time.  How wonderful to catch up on what we were doing personally and professionally, and to share our successes.  Despite the geographical distances, we vowed to stay in touch – it’s easy since were all on LinkedIn.  

It didn't stop there.  There was a younger colleague, David, who had worked for Al.  I didn't know him well, but now he is an entrepreneur who I may be able to support with some business.  I also scheduled a lunch date with a retired colleague, Gus, who lives in my neck of the woods.

It didn't stop there either.  Sue told me Stan (who couldn't make the party) was working on a project in DC.  Well we connected and had dinner and great conversation.  And he told me he's in touch with Dennis, who worked in the same division I did.  So I was able to virtually touch base with him as well.

While my life since my corporate job has been good, I realized how much I missed these people.  Although we all worked in different parts of the company and in some cases in different geographic locations, we were a cohesive group.  We rocked it!

But it didn't stop there either.  Right before the party I heard from Larry, another long time friend and business colleague who lives in Florida and is relocating near me.  He was reaching out to network, and we were able to meet.  We'd been very much involved in our professional organization, SHRM. 

Speaking of SHRM, you can imagine my delight when I discovered that UC Santa Barbara's extension was using The Big Book of HR in one of its courses.  How did they find the book?  Well the instructor was another SHRM colleague who learned about it through LinkedIn. 

This story continues with our presentation at the SHRM chapter of a dear friend, Marna.  Again it was worth the drive not only to meet new professionals, but to spend time with her.  That was followed by lunch with Sue (not the one from the party) and concludes with dinner with Janet and her spouse, who were visiting DC.

Our lives are enriched by the people around us, not just personally, but professionally.  Colleagues become friends.  They support us in so many ways, personally, professionally, and in our business endeavors.  As business leaders (no matter how large or small your firm) you can never forget that people matter.  We can grow our networks on LinkedIn or Facebook, but there is nothing like sharing good conversation with good people who've had an impact on your life.  Grow your circle of good friends and colleagues.  Call, write, ping, or otherwise reconnect with people you’ve not seen or talked with for a while. Resolve to network in 2014 - personally and virtually.

Opening Night

For years, we have been enjoying musicals and dramas at a community theatre in suburban Washington, DC.  As season ticket holders, we were notified that while they had been highly successful as a community theatre, their board had decided to take the risk and become a professional theatre company.  Over the next few months we learned a little about proposed changes including ticket prices going up (but not by much!) and that they planned to add a bar in the lobby. We wondered what else might change and would we enjoy the experience.

September 27, 2013 was Opening Night for the newly named NextStop Theatre Company in Herndon, VA.  On the day the performance, I received an email telling me that on Opening Night, there would be some exciting additions to the evening including a “red carpet,” photographers, and a champagne reception following the play.   To understand why this was significant you have to picture that this theatre is in an industrial strip mall and in fact, until they changed the name, was called The Industrial Strength Theatre—so a red carpet seemed a bit out of context, but it was there and it was red and standing in the center was a professional photographer who shot photos as we walked in. While it wasn’t quite as exciting as the night I attended the Academy Awards in Los Angeles and was on the red carpet with Oprah, it was still a lot of fun to be part of something that had the potential to change the theatre experience!

The opening night play was really good—excellent performances from four people who played multiple parts.   It was smart, funny, and highly professional and afterwards we joined the rest of the audience on the stage for cake and champagne to celebrate. 

I’ve always believed that change is good and this experience really brought it home for me.  In our daily lives we face changes every day and how we approach and process change can make all the difference in the world.  This small theatre company took a huge risk when they decided to change to a professional theatre company and everything that entails.  After the performance the new Artistic Director shared that there was a lot of push back from board members and other contributors; however, after seeing the success on Saturday, I bet those folks will be taking full credit for the accomplishment! 

Helping our employees get through change is a big part of leadership.  Sometimes, the changes required by business pressures aren’t ones we would have made, nevertheless we have to get on board and support them and work to help our employees see the value in the change.  And, probably just as important, when you get to the other side of the change, celebrate where you’ve come from and where you are now. While you don’t need a red carpet and photographers to do that, do take the time to express your thanks to the employees who stuck with you and then move forward!

The NextStop Theatre in Herndon, VA made a major shift in its business model and I believe it will pay off for them.  How are you reacting to changes in your organization and how are you helping your employees manage those changes? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

You’re Back!

It was an enthusiastic, yet unexpected and surprising greeting I received at the nail salon one Monday. “You’re back!”  I wasn’t expecting it because I have a standing appointment there every other week.  It was surprising because the person who delivered it was the owner’s four-year old daughter.  She’d been at the shop two weeks earlier when I was there.  (Mom was having child-care challenges and was taking her daughter to work on certain days.)   What a way to train the future generation!

Several weeks later a driver came to my house to pick up a chair I was having reupholstered.  He greeted me with a big smile and said:  “Good to see you again!  How are you?”  I’d used the firm about three years ago.  I don’t know if he remembered me, my house, or both.  But it didn’t matter.  Once again I felt good about the recognition I’d received in addition to the great service from the business.

“Have a beautiful day!” is how Barbara and I are greeted every week when we meet at a local establishment for our breakfast meeting.  The greeting is accompanied with a warm and sincere smile.  This employee, Anna, expects to see us every week, is concerned when we don’t show up, and is surprised when we occasionally meet for lunch rather than breakfast.  Convenience aside, we continue to return and spend money because of this personal treatment.

In his book, The HR Value Proposition, David Ulrich said that the work of HR does not begin with HR, it begins with the business.  I’d expand that to say that the work of any business function (human resources, accounting, procurement, marketing, IT) does not begin with the function, it begins with the business. “Value” is determined by the customer/client.

Contrast these positive encounters with some unfortunate changes I’ve witness in another place I often frequented for lunch.  A self-service establishment, for years there was a manager who would walk around asking “How are you doing?  Is everything okay?”  Like Anna, she was warm and sincere.  She wanted you to have a good experience while you were there and she was happy to see you back,  The work flow was fast and efficient – you didn’t have a long wait between ordering and picking up your food.  And the orders were always correct!  After about 3-1/2 years I suddenly notice that she wasn’t there and the operation was clearly suffering.  Orders wrong, long waits, and the staff, with the exception of one long term employee, not friendly or recognizing you.  I discretely discovered that there were major management changes that had taken place and the new regional manager was insistent on things being done “his way”, with little regard for the customer. What?  “Value” is determined by the customer/client!  Convenience aside, I don’t go there as frequently as I once did.  The experience is not the same.

Some thoughts on customer service for all companies to ponder – customer service is based on:

•       Effective Relationships: Do you leverage formal and informal relationships effectively and with integrity?

•       Achieving Results: Do you focus on achieving desired, timely organizational outcomes more than on rote process ?

•       Communication: Do you accurately formulate and clearly communicate critical messages?  (How well you listen, understand, and provide information?)

•       Competence:  How knowledgeable and skillful are you concerning the use of your service customer situations?

•       Speed:  How quickly do you give customers what they want (or need)?

•       Integrity: Can customers trust you to tell the truth?  Are you there when they need you?  Can you recover from any problems with responsiveness, empathy, persistence, and complete customer satisfaction?

•       Flexibility:  How willing, eager, and able are you to adjust your product or service to meet customer needs, wants, desires or changing behaviors?

Give your customers a good experience.  Make customer service a part of your organization’s value proposition and culture.  As leaders practice it and lead by example.

Giving Thanks for Your Employees

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to talk about gratitude.  Rewarding employees and showing recognition is a great way to boost morale and motivate people.  We all want to be acknowledged for our contributions, and it is easy to do but it is absolutely amazing that so few managers are comfortable with the concept of saying thanks.

Look at organizational websites you’ll frequently read “we value our outstanding employees” or “people are our most important asset”.  However, a lot of managers just don’t recognize and/or reward good performance.

The most cost-effective reward and the most valued for nearly everyone is a simple “thank you” for a specific job or for completing a project or for going above and beyond.  “It sounds like such a no-brainer, but you would be amazed at how few mangers use those two simple but powerful words.

In addition to saying thanks, many organizations that understand the value of rewards and recognition programs, take the time to ask their employees what would be the most meaningful to them.  There is not a “one size fits all” recognition program. If you want to do it right, consider starting with a survey or focus groups to ask your employees what would be motivational to them.  Remember that any program you consider will reinforce your organization’s values.  Also, consider how and when you provide recognition—some people don‘t want to be publically thanked so be sure to thank them privately.

There are lots of ways to recognize and reward that are no or low-cost.  Consider:

·      Sending a hand written thank you note

·      Acknowledgement at an all-hands meeting

·      Assignment to a highly visible task force

·      Recognition in the employee newsletter

·      Company logo’d merchandise

·      Reserved parking place

·      Day off with pay

·      Lunch with CEO

·      Lunch for the team

·      Flowers, balloons, plant delivered to office

The Thanksgiving season is a perfect time to re-evaluate your rewards and recognition programs or to decide to start to formally recognize your great employees.  Remember that rewards and recognition can also impact your employee retention which can have significant impact on your bottom line!  Are you thankful for your employees, let them know and do it today!

For more information on rewards and recognition, see chapter 16 of The Big Book of HR.

At The Ballet

The ballet season is about to begin at the Kennedy Center.  The marvel of the ballet is that dancers are telling stories through music and motion. Not a word is spoken. With precision and movement the drama unfolds.  We attended a breathtaking performance of the Bolshoi Ballet several years ago -- The Sleeping Beauty.  We were certain that we didn't take a breath for the first half of the performance.  It was captivating. 

Through my practice of yoga, I've developed a great appreciation for ballet dancers.  Their art takes skill and practice and focus.  I know that yoga poses, especially poses involving balancing on one foot, take practice and focus.  I often have difficulty balancing in class when my instructor talks us through the tree pose.  I have to tune out the sound of her voice, detach mentally from the room, look inward, and focus on my balance.  I'm alone in my own space.  I am focused.  I imagine that is how a ballerina performs -- in a focused, inward state in her own space.

Finding balance is a challenge.  Consider Marissa Mayer's decision to end telecommuting at Yahoo!  It caused a great amount of discussion.  One of her justifications for her decision is that the employees needed to be together in the office in order to collaborate with each other.  She has a very valid point.  Interaction stirs creativity.   It's one of reasons Barbara and I meet weekly -- to stir new ideas and get reality checks on old ones.

On the other hand is the point of view that once a new idea is formed, a new product, program, whatever, employees need quite time to develop or implement the idea.  They need time and their own space to focus and produce results.  If they are in an environment where a great deal of activity is taking place, they may struggle with focus, the same way I struggle with my tree pose in class.  There need to be balance -- time to collaborate and create -- and time to focus and produce. 

Finding balance in modern life is critical and challenging.  We live in such a plugged-in world.  We are always connected, always doing.  We need to take time to just be.  Several years ago heard David Ulrich talk about leadership and good leaders.  He talked about a particular "leader" who held a responsible job with a large company.  This individual bragged about the long hours he worked.  He wore 24/7 as a badge of honor.  Ulrich's point was: it isn't.  He observed the individual slowly losing effectiveness in his role and in his organization.  He lacked balance.

As a leader, consider:

•       What will you do to find balance in your life? 

•       What will you do to assure there is balance in the lives of your colleagues?

•       What will you do to assure there is balance in the lives of the employees?

•       Will you recognize burnout in yourself and others?

•       How will you address it?

•       How will you assure that the organization's culture honors balance?

Celebrating Veterans

A temporary cessation of hostilities, or armistice, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect at 11:00 AM on November 11, 1918 -- the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.  This is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Armistice Day, established the following year by President Wilson, was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I.  In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.   After World War II and the Korean War the word "Veterans" replace the word "Armistice.”  November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Ceremonies commemorating Veterans Day occur each year at 11:00 AM on November 11 at the memorial amphitheater built around the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery when the presidential wreath is laid upon the tomb.

Last Veterans Day my husband, Carl, and I went to the ceremonies at "The Wall" in Washington DC.  The Wall is the memorial honoring those who gave their lives during the Vietnam conflict.  Carl is a Vietnam Veteran who served in the Marine Corp's air wing.  He met and talked with fellow Marines who also served in the 1st Marine Air Wing in Okinawa and Vietnam during that conflict.  There are ties that bind them.

The following month, my friend Debbie from California contacted me.  Her father, a veteran, had passed away and his military funeral was being held at Arlington National Cemetery.  Would we like to come?  This was a family with a rich military history.  Her grandfather rode with Teddy Roosevelt in the Battle of San Juan.  Her family, the Englands, is one of only two who have a plot at Arlington.  It was an honor to be a part of the celebration of her father's life.

During a plane trip home from Albuquerque, NM, my husband was sitting across the aisle from me, next to a man, Robert, who served in the Marines around the same time Carl did.  He was stationed on the same base in DaNang with the First Battalion that Carl was stationed on when he was in Vietnam.  Carl's time was split between Okinawa and Vietnam.  They talked for the entire flight -- attracting the attention of a young man in the row behind them who aspires to be a Marine.  There are ties that bind them.

Since Robert lives in Albuquerque, I asked him about the Navajo Code Talkers, who fought during World War II.  During a visit to the Balloon Fiesta there in 2006 we met the Code Talkers in Albuquerque’s Old Town.  They were selling and autographing copies of their book.  We spoke with the grandson of one who was trying to capture as many of their stories and history while they were still alive.  As my husband asked each to sign the book we bought, he shook each hand, thanked them for their service, and said Semper Fi.  I was struck by the contrast between him and them.  Carl was from a different part of the country, with a different background, a different generation and fought in a different war.  Yet, there were ties that bound them.  Robert told us there was only one of the Navajo Code Talkers still living.

Each Veterans Day should be a time when Americans stop and remember the brave men and women who have risked their lives for the United States of America.   Today we have Veterans from new wars and conflicts.  It's important to honor them and help them with their transition back into civilian life.

Leaning In—Why all the Hype?

Oh how I wish I’d read Leaning In when I started my business career!  I absolutely loved this book and the concepts it covered.  I think it should be required reading for anyone interested in a career in business—men as well as women!  Actually, the concept of leaning in doesn’t just apply to a business situation but can be used wherever you are in life!  Sheryl Sandberg has given a new generation of women real encouragement to seriously pursue their career aspirations!

As an author, I am fascinated by all the hype around this book. Not many authors have a segment on 60 Minutes, interviews on all the morning shows, an appearance on “Katie” and so much more to launch a new book.  Doesn’t hurt that this author is COO of Facebook but, in this case, the hype didn’t oversell the book!  Ms. Sandberg has touched on a topic that we were ready to hear!

I have been guilty of “leaning back” when I should have been “leaning in”.  I started my business career in the 70’s at a time when I was almost always the only woman in meetings or at conferences in my field.  Now the HR field is very heavily populated by women except for some of the top positions in organizations!  It wasn’t easy to always have to fight for a promotion. I remember one in my early career with a major retail firm where my boss got promoted and I indicated I wanted to be considered for the position.  I had been working in that department for over two years doing excellent work according to my performance reviews and feedback. When I threw my hat in the ring for the position, the VP said, “Oh, we never thought of you—do you really want to be a ‘career girl’”?  I was stunned and said that I thought that my commitment to the job and the company should have been obvious. I didn’t get the job—they promoted a man and asked me to train him!

Why that story is significant is that, looking back on it, I don’t think I had been “”leaning in”.  I would do it differently today.  I would be sure that my accomplishments were noted and I would have been much more vocal about asking for assignments and projects to enhance my skill set.  I think women today are much more likely to speak up than I ever was!  I hope so but I am aware that there are many women, especially in my chosen professional of human resources, who think that their good work will be recognized without them calling attention to it—wish that were true but we must get better at letting everyone know our value!

I especially enjoyed the discussion on the book on mentoring. I am a firm believer in helping those who are following us along our chosen path.  There are few things as satisfying in business than helping someone navigate the minefields ahead of them!

So, if you haven’t read Leaning In yet, I highly recommend you do so as soon as possible.  If you have a teenage daughter, I think this book would be a great gift to encourage her to learn how important it is to be fully engaged and prepared for what is ahead!

Managing by Exception

Meet Fred.  Fred is a senior director at Big Ideas Inc., a professional services firm specializing in social media marketing.  Fred manages a creative team of 6 mid-career professionals.  One of Fred’s team members, Mike is an easy going guy who regularly shows up for meetings 5 to 10 minutes late.  Fred, a stickler for punctuality, is annoyed with Tom’s behavior and issues a terse email to the entire team stating that, starting with next week, meeting doors will close at the start of each meeting.  Late comers will be locked out. For the 5 team members who are continuously punctual, this new procedure is annoying and insulting, especially since they know that only one member of the team caused such a draconian result.

Sound familiar?  Fred is practicing exception management.  He is communicating a directive to the entire staff, is essentially accusing all of them of a negative behavior even though only one person needed the correction.  Not only is this a waste of time and effort, it sets a negative tone for the team as a whole.  Managers who exclusively manage by exception create a climate that promotes behavior governed by rules and policy rather than by trust and respect.

Don’t manage by exception. Correct behavioral gaffs by dealing directly with the individual.  Here is how Fred should have dealt with Mike:

1. Grab Mike immediately after the meeting.  Feedback needs to be given as close to the errant behavior as possible.  Waiting until the next day or even next week will weaken the urgency of the message.
2. Use as few words as possible.  Get to the point.  Be frank, concise, and even blunt with the message.  Talking around the issue, embellishing it with superfluous points only muddies the waters.  A good formula to use is: specific behavior + situation/context + impact on the team.  In Mike’s case, it might sound like this:  Mike, you were 10 minutes late to the client meeting this morning.  We had to wait for you, making the meeting time run over.  Now we are all running late for our next meeting which means I won’t get to finish the report that is due by close of business today.
3. Stop and listen to Mike’s response to your feedback.  Really listen.  Ask questions.  Summarize back to him what you are hearing.
4. Jointly agree on commitments and outcomes.  Ask Mike to email back a summary of the agreements and commitments.

Honest, open and timely feedback, both positive and constructive, is the bedrock of building trusting relationships.  Sending mass emails hoping that the offending party sees themselves as the culprit and corrects their behavior is a grossly inefficient way to create a positive work environment.  I have no quibble with policy and procedure manuals.  They serve as useful tools to clearly describe acceptable behavior in the workplace.  But they can never replace direct one-on-one feedback.  Policies and rules are a means to an end, not the end itself.  They provide behavioral direction and set boundaries, give us the roadmap to our destination.  The destination itself is a work environment that allows everyone it to have meaningful work and achieve great business results.

By Alice Waagan

Workforce Learning

Like if You Remember

A number of my Facebook friends post pictures of items from an earlier time -- the 50's and 60's - memories of their childhoods.  There is always the caption "like if you remember" this piece of nostalgia from a presumably simpler time.

Remember mail slots - when the mailman came to your door and deposited the mail through a slot that landed the mail inside your house?  We had one in the house I grew up in but over time the local post office had them replaced with boxes outside the houses.  The mail carrier still walks the route there to deliver snail mail.

My son lives in a house in Albuquerque, NM that still has a mail slot.  The mail is deposited in a basket that sits on the floor.  The mail carrier still walks the route there too.  In my neighborhood, mail carriers drive trucks and deliver mail to a box that sits on the street.  I read recently that the U. S. Postal Service wants to install "pods", like the ones in townhouse neighborhoods, in all residential neighborhoods to reduce labor costs.

I remember how exciting it was to receive a letter in the mail.  Now I cringe at how fast my e-mail fills up.   Times have changed.  There was a time when we were so dependent on the mail.  Is it a matter of time that snail mail and mail carriers become obsolete?  We have to know where we've been to know where we are going.

The technology is great but it can't replace thinking and judgment.  It can't draw on lessons from the past.  A friend in New Mexico has a grandson-in-law who farms.  He grew up farming, learning from his parents and grandparents.  He learned how to read nature, forecasts, and his instinct.  He now has his home outfitted with many, many electronic and technology devices to assist him.  But there are times he questions the readings and follows his instinct.  He understands where his been.  He takes advantage of his past as well as the technology that the present offers.

Organizations, like people, need to understand their historic roots.  They need to draw on the foundations of the past in order to succeed in the present and shape the future.  Do you know the origins of your organization?  Do you know when, where, why and how it began.  Do you know who its founders were?  Understanding where you've been is very powerful knowledge for paving a path for future growth and success.

Network Internally…It can Pay-off!

Just about everyone who works in the world of business has a need to connect with others inside their organization. It doesn’t matter if you work for a large or small organization; for a for-profit or a non-profit; or a governmental agency or the private sector—wherever you are, having strong relationships with co-workers is critical to success!

Most professionals focus most of their energy externally (and that certainly is important) but we believe developing relationships internally is equally important to success in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace.

Developing strong internal relationships takes some work but can pay off in many ways including making you more productive!  Isn’t it easier to make a request of a colleague when you know a little bit about that person or when you’ve just had coffee with them last week?  Think about how you can develop strong internal relationships with your co-workers. Here are some ideas:

•            Network internally—build relationships with colleagues outside your area of expertise. For example, if you are in finance, get to know the business development staff or the human resources team.
•             Be credible and build trust—act with integrity and honesty at all times.  This means keeping commitments—in other words, doing what you say you will do—when you say you will do it!
•             Find a mentor who is not in your field.  If you are in the HR department, maybe you would like a mentor from operations.  Working with a mentor is a great way to build internal relationships.
•             Be a good listener and ask good questions.  Invite people from other departments for lunch and ask them how they came to work for your organization.  Ask open ended questions and express sincere interest in the other person!
•            Volunteer for cross functional task force or rotational assignments. What a great way to learn more about other people and functions while working alongside to solve a problem or issue.
•            Model excellent customer service (and satisfaction) inside and outside.  This goes hand in hand with being credible and building trust.  Go above and beyond to meet the needs of others to show your commitment to the organization’s success.
•            Confront conflicting views—don’t run away from conflict but work to mitigate issues that create conflict in your organization.  A lot of learning comes from resolving conflict!
•             Be an influence for positive change.  Be open to new ideas and welcome input from others in your organization.
•            Understand and support your organization’s culture.  Be a positive force in your organization to support your mission, vision and organizational values!
•            Recognize and address changes in the business climate and provide value-added responses.  Keep current in your field and in your business sector so that you can be prepared for coming changes in your marketplace!  You know they’re coming!

One Enchanted Evening

My first encounter with opera was at the Santa Fe Opera in early August.  I'm so glad I held out for such an enchanting evening and experience.

The setting was absolutely spectacular.  A summer sky over the desert brought some rain before the performance.  We watched the clouds bring much needed rain to other locales.  And nature gave us a splendid light show as we watched lightening strikes.  Even during the performance, flashes of lightening in the distance illuminated the periphery, enhancing the setting.

The Opera House itself compliments the landscape.  Its design draws parallels to the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi people who inhabited the lands long ago.

The stage and set were simple, but elegant.  The singers, with passion in their voice and body language, and the orchestra all told the story.  An elaborate set would have been a distraction to both the performance and the natural beauty of the desert.  The elegant simplicity enhanced it.

The music was melodious.  My friend, Nancy, was right.  You can't go wrong with the Italian composers.  The orchestra captured the passion of Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata.  I'd read the story behind the opera beforehand so I'd be able to follow.  A big tip of the hat to technology – built into the seat backs for the benefit of the person sitting behind is a small screen that translates from Italian into either English or Spanish so you could follow the story.  Yes, like at the symphony I could have been engrossed in the music alone, but this was so much more engaging.

Whenever I go to a live performance, I have to take it all in, the sights and sounds that are all around.  Months earlier I was in Carnegie Hall to see and hear the Boston Symphony.  What a beautiful concert hall.  I was drawn in by the surroundings as much as by the musicians.  I was fascinated watching them and listening to the music they were making.  It was the sum of all the parts that made it a great experience.  However, the Santa Fe Opera experience gets an A++.

My point:  Observe what's around.  Be aware of who's contributing and understand what they are contributing.  Learn to listen to everyone who's making a contribution.  Listen with your ears, but look for the simple, subtle details of body language.  Challenge yourself to use all of your senses, to take it all in.