Focus! Maybe An Accountability Partner Would Help

Kathy Rapp Audacious Ideas, Career Advice, Change, Change Management, Coaching, Communication, Culture, Driving Productivity, Employee Coaching, Engagement and Satisfaction, HR, HR Tech, HR Technology, Innovation, Kathy Rapp, Learning, Learning and Development, Mental Health, Performance, Talent Management, Training and Development, wellness, Work Life Balance, Workplace Flexibilty 0 Comments

I am a big believer in the power of focusing. “Focus and finish” is a phrase you’ll hear me say to myself, my daughter – and perhaps occasionally to my husband. Most of us in the HR space know year-end and the fast start once January 1 rolls around = bust your a$$ while everyone else is taking time off. …

Kick-Start Your HR Creativity in 2020 with these Two Lessons

Kathy Rapp Career Paths, Change, Change Management, Coaching, Communication, Driving Productivity, Engagement and Satisfaction, HR, HR (& Life!) Advice, Innovation, Kathy Rapp, Leadership, Pop Culture, wellness, Work Life Balance

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!

Kathy Rapp Audacious Ideas, Benefits, Change, Change Management, Compensation/Cash Money, Corporate America, Culture, Current Affairs, Diversity, Driving Productivity, Employee Engagement, employee experience, Engagement and Satisfaction, Good HR, HR, Onboarding, Performance

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

Kathy Rapp Assessments, Career Advice, Change Management, Coaching, Communication, Corporate America, Culture, Driving Productivity, Executive Search, Good HR, HR

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

Kathy Rapp Audacious Ideas, Change, Change Management, Coaching, Communication, Contingent Workforce, Corporate America, Culture, Driving Productivity, Employee Engagement, Engagement and Satisfaction, Good HR, Harassment, HR, Uncategorized

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.

Kathy Rapp Audacious Ideas, candidate experience, Communication, Culture, Employee Communications, employee experience, Engagement and Satisfaction, Executive Search, Generations, Kathy Rapp, Leadership, Recruiting, War for Talent

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!

Kathy Rapp Change, Change Management, Coaching, Employee Coaching, Engagement and Satisfaction, HR, HR (& Life!) Advice, Kathy Rapp, Leadership, Learning, Pop Culture, The HR Profession

“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

Kathy Rapp Change, Change Management, Communication, Contingent Workforce, Culture, Current Affairs, Employee Engagement, employee experience, Engagement and Satisfaction, Good HR, HR, HR & Sports, in the news, Kathy Rapp, Leadership, Learning, Recruiting, Talent Management, The HR Profession

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?

Kathy Rapp Change, Kathy Rapp, Leadership

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

Kathy Rapp Change Management, Coaching, Communication, Compensation/Cash Money, Culture, Current Affairs, Employee Engagement, Employment Branding and Culture, Engagement and Satisfaction, HR, in the news, Kathy Rapp, Leadership, Managing People, Recognition, Talent Management, Talent Strategy, Total Rewards

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 …