My favorite movie line of all time and something every HR practitioner needs to do, “Sometimes you need to just say ‘what the ****’ and take some risks.” The quote comes from the movie Risky Business. Joel, the character played by Tom Cruise, is much like a teenage version of an HR pansy. Coasting through life on smarts, good looks …
Call Me! The Lost Art of Picking Up The Phone.
Gen X version: “Call me (call me) on the line Call me, call me any, anytime“ Millennial version: “Hey, I just met you, And this is crazy, But here’s my number, So call me, maybe!” Aside from the observation that Millennials are much coyer in their request for a call (“So call me, maybe!”) and those of us who identify …
Wag The Dog in HR
As I think back on my career and recall the times I had the best work experiences—where I was connected and engaged the most—it almost always involved a crisis or a pressure-filled project. I can vividly remember working on a big Chrysler account or a huge GM Parts incentive program. We worked 24/7 for weeks. In one case, we slept …
5 Things To Do At The Office On Black Friday
A few years back I wrote a post over at The Project called the 5 Things To Do at Work the Day after Thanksgiving. It’s solid, a bit boring for my taste. Probably when I wrote it, like writing this post, I believed it wouldn’t be read by anyone, so let’s not put too much time into it! But, it’s …
Utilize Your Network as Free Consultants
Think about the best professional advice you’ve ever received. Where did it come from? A how-to YouTube video? A TED talk? Your spouse? An executive coach? Maybe a lawyer? A book? A keynote speech at an HR/talent conference? Likely not. Or… from a fellow HR/talent colleague? Yep, that’s what I thought. Networking is all the rage. So are conferences, podcasts, …
Can a White Guy Lead Your Diversity & Inclusion Efforts?
It’s not lost on me that I’m uber-lucky to be a white male born in and living in the greatest country in the world. The land of opportunity, especially for me. Privilege and opportunity that others who work here or in other countries around the world will spend their entire lives in hopes of getting. And which some, regardless of …
3 Things You Never Want To Hear At The End Of An Interview
Don’t ask me how this idea came up. You know there is that awkward time right at the end of an interview when you know the interview is done, you’ve asked all of your questions, but one more thing still needs to be said from each party. It could be as easy as a “Thank you for interviewing,” but many times …
Is Texting Candidate Screener Questions Better Than a Real Conversation?
I think it’s common belief that it’s always best to screen a candidate “live”, either in person or over the phone. We believe that the ‘immediate’ response is always best because it doesn’t give a candidate time to make up the ‘right’ answer, and you get a more true answer of what they really believe. That’s what we all think, …
Candidates Who Over-Talk May Need To Work Elsewhere
“You talk too much. You never shut up.” – Run DMC To shut a candidate up or not to shut a candidate up? That is the question. A question, as an interviewer, I’ve contemplated for many years. A question I admittedly flip-flop on. But here is where I am with this now. Candidates, you need to control your explanations. You …
Can HR Ever Be Antifragile? Should It?
I’ve been fascinated with the idea of “antifragile” ever since I read about it in Nicholas Taleb’s book by the same name. His book is about how systems react to stress, attack, or change. Fragile systems are easily damaged when exposed to negative change. They operate best when things just stay as they are. A robust system is one that …