The Thin Red Line. Fight Club. American Psyco. These are films that solidified Jared Leto‘s success as an Oscar-winning actor. Then, as his star was rising, he basically stopped making movies. “I think it was about focus. I knew that I needed to commit everything to music at that point in my life,” said Leto. Fast Company interviewed Jared Leto and …
Hello 3-Day Weekends!
If you’ve been in the workforce for 20+ years, you probably grew up thinking working longer hours meant you were more productive, or helped you advance your career. I spent many years arriving at and leaving an office in darkness. Microsoft has put a bit of data behind the fact longer hours do not equate to higher productivity (or happiness). …
4 Critical Steps for Success as a New CHRO
Starting anything new is a bit daunting. A new exercise program. A new school. Sporting a new hairstyle. The internal questions of “Am I ready for this? Will I make friends? Is the “Rachel” really back?” will bubble in the pit of your stomach. Starting a new gig, especially a leadership role, builds even more intense emotions. Starting a new …
10 Things HR Should Have Given Up by Now
I attended an awards luncheon where the nominees were asked the question, “What would you have expected to have given up by now?” Answers involved a lot of childhood sweets, biting nails and imaginary dogs (that was not mine). Slap that question on the HR profession and I have a few ideas around the answers. Some are common sense and …
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 …
I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!
“Daily Affirmation with Stuart Smalley” is one of the reasons I continued to watch SNL in the 90’s. Al Franken invented and acted out Stuart in a way that made you laugh and cringe at the same time. I’m not an affirmation gal. The closest I get is coaching my daughter to tell me to “Buck up, Mommy!” whenever I …
HR In The New World Of Work – Through The Lens Of A Customer
Nike has been in the headlines lately. Emerging from those headlines is the story of a significant loss of opportunity within a key segment of Nike’s customers. Nike is the biggest sports footwear and apparel company in the world, commanding $34.4 billion in revenue last year. And yet Nike’s women’s business made up only about a fifth of the total business. …
You Got the Skills to Pay the Bills?
I’ve got the skills to pay the bills, ya I got the got the got the skills to pay the bills I’ve got the skills to pay the bills Ah what you got, I got the skills to pay the bills For those who don’t know me, my eclectic mix of music loves includes the Beastie Boys. This track has …
Not a Whole “Lotto” Thought Went Into That Decision, United
You’ve all read about United Airlines replacing bonuses with a lottery and trying to tie it to their Core4 mission to become “known as the most caring airline in a highly-competitive industry”. It didn’t go over so well. In fact, it crashed and burned. The announcement was made public on a Friday, and by the following Tuesday United announced they …
Why Resumes Need to Retire
I spoke at a conference 5 years ago in which I declared, “resumes suck”. The context was about over-inflated resumes filled with key words, and on the other side, employers who dismiss great talent based on a piece (or 10) of paper. In short, resumes needed to be retired and replaced with a more dynamic way of matching talent with …