Let’s say you are passionate about something and want to change the world. Q: How do you fix significant problems by using the internet?A: You don’t. Stop yourself before you start. – Laurie Ruettimann The internet is but one tool to affect social change, and it’s an imperfect one at best. You need an omnichannel approach that includes academic research, …
Bosses Behaving Badly: When Integrity Matters Most
How many of us have seen our leaders (C-Suite, bosses, the ivory tower, “the brass”) abandon their integrity when the going gets rough? Maybe they decided to cut salaries to shed costs without cutting their own, or they identified a sacrificial lamb to take the fall for what was their mistake. Perhaps they simply elected to flat out lie to …
All for One and One for All! Employee Engagement Peanut Butter.
I started my own blog in 2006. Not an actual OG but very close. Heck, I used to use Typepad for chrissakes. That’s seriously old school. And some of (most of) my posts since that time have been about employee engagement. I know this because every time I’m up to write on Fistful of Talent I panic because I may …
It’s Time to Talk About Mental Health in the Workplace
Thanks to increased awareness driven by celebrities, athletes, politicians and more, mental illness has become less stigmatizing than it previously was. But as society gains a greater understanding of the issues, the conversation around mental health (and how we should handle it) has failed to permeate the workplace at the same rate. As companies tout improved work-life balance, gym memberships, …
Institutionalized: Working for the Corporate Version of Obi-Wan Kenobi/Bill Belichick
There’s a dirty little secret about great companies. Some of them are so great, the experience you pick up actually doesn’t transfer easily to other opportunities. Here’s how this phenomenon plays out: 1– You join a great company early in your career. 2–You are fortunate to work for a master, think the Obi-Wan Kenobi or Bill Belichick of your industry. …
How White People Can Celebrate Black History
“Happy Black History Month!” Sometimes white people tiptoe around saying that. Wish you didn’t have to say it? Well, think about how black people feel. They probably don’t want to say it either. They probably wish that we learned about the history of everyone in this nation including African Americans. But nay, as a country we have failed to teach …
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 …
The Five New Year’s Resolutions of an HR Leader
2019 is just around the corner and HR leaders everywhere are making their New Year’s resolutions. I’m not talking about false promises to lay off gluten, flatten that spare tire around the midsection, call grandma in Sheboygan more often, eat more kale, blah blah blah. That’s all well and good, but how about making a collective resolution to your employees and …
HR Girl Power in 2019
Ariana Grande proclaimed “God is a Woman,” Keith Urban sang about “Female,” and Jesse J begged girls to feel elevated and say “I am a Queen.” Fearless Girl is on the move to the NY Stock Exchange; Sheryl Sandberg focused headlines read “Fall from Grace” for her part in Facebook’s mishaps, and a new study shows a 51% wage gap …
Fear and Loathing in HR and Talent Acquistion
If FOT has anything in our readers, we have the following: –Readers who are generally looking for the best way to do things. –Readers who are trying to be better than the average HR/TA pro. –Readers who like to change things. That’s great, right? The answer is actually MOST OF THE TIME, IT’S GREAT. SOMETIMES IT’S NOT. This is a …