Letter To The Editor
By Ron | July 25, 2010
Today, I am submitting a letter to my local newspaper. The reason I am including it my blog is because I believe that it is relevant to all Human Resource people everywhere, especially for those of you who are in the public sector. One more time, I ask the question, “Where is the common sense, the proper judgement, the sense of fair play, in the HR departments in our government? How does the compensation and benefits personnel get so out of control?” If you answered “Feathering their nest” and/or “Conflict of Interest,” you would probably be right. Anyway, here is my letter….
We recently heard about the city of Bell in Southern California where the city officials are making outrageous salaries and are walking away with pensions around the half million a year each. Although not approaching these figures, I am sure that our own city employees are doing very well. On the other hand, most of us in the private sector are struggling to get by and hoping that our own savings in a 401K plan will let us squeak by in our old age. The monument to our local government excess is being erected on the site of our previously beautiful park. If the government is the servant of the people, you would think that they would be tightening their belt during these tough times just like we are. We are doing everything we can to save the homes we live in while, at the same time, our city is building a huge extravagant home in our midst. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that there is something wrong with this picture. Oh, and I miss the gazebo, a symbol of “Small Town, USA.”
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Lessons From The Movies Part 2
By Ron | July 19, 2010
I just watched Invictus, the movie about President Mandela using the 1995 Rugby World Cup to unite his country. His challenge was to alleviate the white citizens’ fears while not losing the black citizens support. The South African Sports Committee had already moved to eliminate the Rugby team’s name and colors because they signified apartheid to the committee and to the black populace who rooted against their own home team. Mandela reversed their decision and subsequently encouraged the team to improve so that they could win the cup. He felt strongly that his country needed a big win for national self-esteem and he needed both sides to participate.
The “Nelson Mandela Model” should be the basis for every company takeover or corporate merger. He wisely knew how important symbolism is to human beings. We treasure our logos, history and lore. I learned early on from Dr. Charles Hughes that the best thing to do in a “takeover” is to preserve as many of the policies, procedures, logos, mores, customs and values of the previous regime. Without this type of respect in action, resentment is sure to set in.
By the way, if you haven’t seen the movie yet, rent the DVD and you’ll see for yourself how successful his strategy was.
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This Oldie Is Still A Goodie
By Ron | July 10, 2010
The year is 1896. General Electric is one of the 12 companies listed on the DOW. Besides still being listed on the DOW, GE was considered the largest company in the world by Forbes magazine in 2009. General Electric has over 304,000 employees. In the depth of the current recession, GE earned $30 billion. Even during these dark times, the company is still spending a large percentage of it’s revenue on research and development. The company also knows how to use PR to the max by positioning itself as a green company. They call this initiative “ecomagination.” President Obama uses Immelt as one of his financial advisors.
What is the constant factor that has kept GE in a lead position for over 100 years? Good Management. Jeffrey Immelt credits much of his company’s success to their leadership program – LIG (Leadership, Innovation and Growth). Immelt tasks his managers to “Drive change and develop other leaders.”
GE has had great management even prior to Immelt. We all know about Jack Walsh, of course. Before Walsh, General Electric was known for how they developed their managers by rotating their upcoming stars to head-up different divisions. GE proved that good managers could successfully run any type of business whether light bulb manufacturing or airplane engine production facilities. They also wrote the book on project management.
President Reagan, who hosted GE Theater on 50’s television, mouthed their slogan at the time, “Progress is our most important product.” Obviously, it still is.
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What Winners Do To Be Winners
By Ron | July 4, 2010
Do you know what winners do to be winners? I’ve told people whom I have trained over the years that the answer to this question has always been available in the Sunday paper. I was reminded of that fact today – the cover story of USA Weekend was, “Winning American Style.” In the article, we get the advice from “the reining champs” of the TV reality shows and it’s the same stuff (or variations thereof) I’ve read over and over….
- Focus on the task at hand
- Pat attention to detail
- Make friends wherever you can
- Never give up
- Free you mind and the rest will follow (block out the obstacles)
So what does this have to do with Human Resources or Management? To me, everything. I’ve always maintained that the key to running a successful company is hiring winners and provide a winning environment. Yes, it is that simple. If we in HR can screen our applicants for the above winning traits, we will not only be the heroes of the organization (probably the unsung heroes), our companies will grow and prosper.
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Movie Magic At Work
By Ron | June 28, 2010
When I was working in Silicon Valley I witnessed the battle of the brains – the left side and the right side which brings me to my latest movie review: “Extraordinary Measures” starring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser.
Fraser plays a pharmaceutical company executive who has two children dying of Pompe disease. Harrison Ford happens to be a scientist who he tracks down because Harrison is zeroing in on a cure. Brenden convinces Harrison to leave his university setting to start their own company dedicated to finalizing the medicine.
Harrison plays an exaggerated version of the engineers I knew and loved at the electronic companies where I worked – all left brain (analytical, data-driven, not too good at interpersonal relations). Brenden, on the other-hand, is the administrative type - all right brain (people-oriented). The two clash over and over again. Does this sound familiar, you HR folks?
Things get really dicey when they are forced to merge their floundering company with an industry giant. Believe me, this part really rung true to me - Harrison Ford rebels against the big corporate rules while Brenden’s boss benchs him (they only tolerate him to get to Harrison’s technical knowledge). The culture clash is not unlike any thing I saw between the the large computer company which gobbled-up the disc drive company I worked for. The engineers were forever challenging the policies and procedures forced down our throats from the big company back east.
I loved the scene where the Fraser character calls a meeting in the cafeteria with all of the employees who are working on the drugs for curing Pompe. He introduces his sick kids to the team which obviously has a huge motivational effect on the team. I have done similar things aimed at getting employees excited about their work.
The flick has a happy ending with Harrison Ford providing Brendan’s kids with the right meds he invented. Just like in Silicon Valley, our engineers would develop the latest, hottest products just in time to meet the market demands.
Sometimes, the movies do mirror real life.
Topics: HR | 1 Comment »
Words Matter
By Ron | June 21, 2010
On the recent cover of a popular Human Resource publication is the headline…
Diluted Diversity
“WHILE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION STILL RAGES IN THE WORKPLACE…”
Excuse me…. RAGES???
I’ve been in the field for some time now and I can’t possibly wrap my head around the extremity of this word in the context of diversity. I don’t think that these type of statements ever help and I believe that it was irresponsible of the editors of the magazine to put that headline on their cover.
I know for a fact that we’ve “come along way baby” and the Human Resource Department gets full credit from me on the progress regarding diversity.
Nuf said.
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Take This Job And Shove It
By Ron | June 3, 2010
There is a current belief that the economic tide is turning and that many employees are poised to tell their bosses, “I quit!”
I’m not buying it. I think we’re along way off from a turnaround. Anyway, I read this article the other day by G. L. Hoffman who believes that the economy is improving and that companies better get their act together or they’re going to start losing their good people to other companies.
He goes on to suggest that companies should start adjusting salaries and work schedules now (assuming that pay was kept low and employees were working extra hours). He also said that attention should be paid to respect, culture, the environment, giving compliments for work well done and involving them in new and exciting projects, blah, blah, blah.
Ho-hum. Nothing new here.
Any company that changes the way it treats employees in down times deserve to lose them when things get better. I happen to believe that good companies do the right thing by their people no matter what shape the economy is. I know that when Hewlett Packard asked their people to take salary cuts, they were happy to do it to keep the company going. HP always restored the employee salaries when things got better.
I also believe that most employees like to pitch in and do extra during the tough times to help their companies survive. There is nothing like a sense of purpose.
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Contemporary Living 101
By Ron | May 27, 2010
I have a confession to make – I read the Sunday Comics. I consider it a learning experience.
For example, in last Sunday’s comics, the strip, “Pearls Before Swine” had the mouse character sitting at his computer:
Panel 1 – I am here to work on my resume. I will finish my resume.
Panel 2 – Ping! (computer)
Panel 3 – Ooh!…An email. Could be important.
Panel 4 – Hey, it’s got a “You Tube” link. Gotta watch it.
Panel 5 – Ha. Ha. That’s great. Hey, they’ve got more like that.
Panel 6 – I’ve never even heard of this show. I’ll Wikipedia it.
Panel 7 – Wait, that’s not the right show. But who’se that girl? She’s hot.
Panel 8 – I’ll “Google Image” her.
Panel 9 – Oooh. Look at these photos. I’ll post ‘em on “Facebook.”
Panel 10 – Hey, I got a friend request.
Panel 11 – Wait. I don’t even know this guy.
Panel 12 – I should google him.
Panel 13 – Whoa. He’s a freak.
Panel 14 – I’ll write about him on my blog.
Panel 15 – Wonder who’s talking about my blog. I should google myself.
Panel 16 – No No No No… It’s resume time…Do the resume.
Panel 17 – Ping! (computer)
Panel 18 – Ooh! An email.
I love this strip because it accurately describes how many people are being unproductive in today’s world. It is funny and sad at the same time.
What’s this got to do with Human Resources? Everything. The type of behavior demonstrated by the mouse has to be permeating our workplace. As much as the computer is a major tool for productivity, it is also a major distraction for efficiency and effectivity.
We all are aware of this problem, but unlike the days of the past where we could monitor the work being performed on the assembly line, it is extremely difficult to do so in the row of cubicles in the modern corporation. Just one of the many challenges that face our 21st century HR department.
Topics: HR | 1 Comment »
They’re Playing My Song, Ma
By Ron | May 21, 2010
Regarding “inspiration as worker incentive,” Consultant Dov Seidman states that companies are still “asking employees to play by the rules, to follow company policies and using just carrots and sticks to compel or incent them to do so (perform) is a system that is fraying and showing its limitations – especially in a recession when there are fewer carrots to go around.” His suggestion is…”not to get leadership and culture through governance, but to get governance through leadership and culture.” He goes on to say, “I think we have entered the era of inspiration. When you are inspired, you are acting from within. You are guided by beliefs that you hold to be fundamental. You’re pursuing a mission that you think is worthy of your dedication.”
Dov, we have always been in the era of inspiration whether management knows it or not. Intrinsic motivation has always been the most powerful incentive. It is just that most managers I’ve known believed that workers will only jump through their hoops for financial or material rewards. They regarded anything else has “touchy-feely” nonsense foisted upon them by those Human Resource people.
Dov is right about this - now that there are fewer financial incentives available, managers can’t dangle carrots in front of their employees anymore. Maybe, Maslow’s and Herzberg’s theories are still as valid today as they were back then. This is definitely our chance as Human Resource professionals to help our managers focus on appealing to the intrinsic motivation of our employees. Dov is coining a new term for it (inspiration) and that’s okay; let’s just don’t miss this window of opportunity.
Topics: HR | 2 Comments »
You Don’t Fire Your Kids
By Ron | May 14, 2010
Layoffs do not only hurt those employees hitting the street, they also hurt the companies as indicated in the latest research. The data tells us that the companies which cut the deepest deliver smaller profits and weaker stock returns as long as nine years after a recession.
The report actually gave a reason – these companies can’t ramp up as quickly once a recovery begins. Makes sense.
However, my experience has told me that most companies that reduce their workforce are more hurt because of a loss in a level of trust from their remaining employees. The guy or gal who is left behind has to be thinking, “Am I next?”
Another observation from my time in the trenches – employee productivity goes down after a layoff. When you would think that employees would work harder to avoid the axe, they generally don’t. I believe that their motivation suffers because they no longer believe in the company like they used to – loyalty takes a hit.
Many companies tell their people that they are like a family. Well…. when your real family has a financial setback, you don’t fire your kids.
Topics: HR | 1 Comment »
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