Dateline: Somewhere in Corporate America. The Scene: A C-Level is telling the HR pro who reports to him what another C-level thinks about her performance (hint—it’s not glowing). The Mistake: The HR Pro in question thinks that since the C-Level reporting the feedback is supportive of her (it’s the other guy with the problem, right?), she doesn’t have to challenge him …
Do Activist Employees At Google Represent The Masses?
If you’re an HR leader, one important thing to get your head around is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its connection to the mission of your company and the market choices your company makes. Welcome to the new world. You can’t simply chase a profitable line of business that exists on the fringes without considering CSR. At no place is …
The 5 Qualities Needed to Be a Really Great Manager
I’ve had a lot of jobs so I’ve worked for a lot of different managers — the good, the bad, and the really ugly. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all of them, it’s this: it’s rare when you find one that you would really want to work for again. In fact, when I try to count the good …
Rainbow Flags for Everyone!
Pride is almost here! June is Pride month when all the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans folks (etc., etc.) pull out their rainbow flags and hope that their houses don’t get egged. Some of us live in neighborhoods where we don’t think twice before showing our pride (gayborhoods), while others can’t put out a flag for fear of retaliation. Luckily, …
Five HR MindShifts We All Need To Make
Let me first start by saying I love being an HR professional. I love the insight that the profession gives you into a company and its employees. But as HR people know, this insight can often be a double-edged sword. Instead of being coaches, we often become referees, and instead of ambassadors of our organization, we become law enforcement to …
Are You a Mentor or Mommie Dearest?
Hey manager Mommie Dearest–could your mentoring do more harm than good? I am a fan of mentorships. I like to mentor people. And, if I am trying to develop my employees, I always recommend they pick a mentor besides me, since in theory, I mentor them every day. Mentoring can be an easy way to develop a variety of skills …
Should You Call Your Co-Workers Family? Depends on the Family.
Mike: We’re all family here. Archie: Don’t remind me! —All In The Family I saw an excellent Twitter chat that discussed if people should use the term “family” at work. For instance, do you work for an organization that claims “we are all one big family”? Or if the company is really high on itself, they may say, “We are …
Before You Were Hired, There Was a Labelscar.
Do you ever drive by a mall or old business and see a labelscar? You probably didn’t realize there was an actual term for what you saw. A labelscar is when a sign is taken off from a building, and the dust and fade marks still show in the shape of the old sign. Drive around many cities, and you …
If You Just Rely on AI to Train Managers, Don’t Be Surprised at the Management You Get.
I’m not easily surprised, but I am when I see something like this: According to The Wall Street Journal, companies are now turning to robots to train and coach young managers. *Insert your bad manager joke here* According to The Journal, the training comes in the form of a bot, “a manager-training app powered by the artificial intelligence of IBM …
Improve Employee Development by Starting with Yourself.
It’s not a secret that continued development is a defining factor of lasting success. There’s truth in the saying, “what got you here won’t get you there.” Too often, I find that we forget about developing ourselves and being honest with the growth opportunities that we face as leaders. This is why I focus on building a mindset of high-level …