Peter Drucker was one of my influences in getting into teaching. I aspire, much like he did, to teach well into my later years. He discusses in this video how people learn differently today, and how his grandson "learned how to use a computer before he learned how to read."
Let his words resonate in you to inspire you to adapt the way you teach and train your people going forward.
Originally posted in March 2009 on Robert Braathe's HR and Career Guide
Q: Why would an individual accept a position in a company where he does not meet all the qualifications knowing this position level requires extremely high levels of accuracy, and proficiency, knowing that the job generates high levels of stress for the employee?
A: It comes down to the SKA's and the PIP's. My HR professor at UMass, Dr. Fernsten, instilled this in us from day one. You should hire people based on PIP's, not SKA's, if you feel they can do the job with proper training.
What are PIP's? They are Personality, Interests and Preferences. These are the natural fiber of someone, and are often less malleable than SKA's - Skills, Knowledge and Abilities. Hiring people to fit your organization, who love your organization, and have the personality and interest to join that organization is so important; if they have the right character, you can often train them to do ANYTHING.
I recall a position I took back in 2005 working for a consulting company. The initial call was for someone to fix and maintain their computers and to update their website. At the time, I had little or no experience with websites, but I had good business sense, was getting my MBA, and wanted to work for this company. They brought me in for my PIP's, not by SKA's. I still work for them, and one of the comments from them was that I really didn't know a lot about websites when I started with them, but I demonstrated interest, and they found me to be trustworthy and had the right personality for the work.
I thought this would be a timely reminder for those who are looking for work...
(Originally Published in March 2009)
Prior to landing my first job in the hospitality industry (and prior to starting my Bachelor's degree program at UMass), I decided it probably would be a good idea to get out and get my feet wet in the industry before I started a degree program I might not be interested in.
I took a road trip to Mystic, CT and stopped in unannounced at 22 different hotels, filling out applications at each. Every place I visited, I also asked if I could say hello to one of the managers to introduce myself. In some cases, the manager wasn't there; in others, they said they wouldn't meet with me on the spot, and in a few places I did get to meet the manager.
From this trip, I ended up getting 9 interviews and 3 job offers within 2 weeks.
I remembered this experience when one of my soon-to-be grads asked about what to do to find a job right now at a hotel front desk. I told her about this experience, and how even back the I knew the best way to get in the door was literally to walk in the door without responding to an ad.
My encouragement to her was to check out places that she'd like to work and either stop in or ask for an informational interview. This would lead to getting to know key players in the field and possibly open up doors that may not quite be open yet.
I'm looking forward to hearing soon that she went to 22 hotels, interviewed at 9, and got 3 job offers just like me.
No matter the holiday you celebrate, this time of year is one where we all can reflect on the past year and look at all the great memories and look forward to new ones.
I went the traditional route and sent out holiday cards to family, friends, and clients (actually sent them out early this year, the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I knew I would have a busy December, and I may now make that day each year Holiday Card Sunday). Many send their wishes through email. I liked what one of my clients did this year. They sent an e-mail with a link to a flash holiday greeting with music.
No matter how you wish others a happy holiday, its the surprise of hearing from some that you'd least expect to hear from that can make any holiday magical. The gift of each other's appreciation or gratitude is often enough to make you and those you associate with memorable.
I once reached out to a fellow colleague in retail at the time to see how things were going with hiring. She commented that she was having a real tough time filling some full-time positions.
I threw a hypothetical at her, and stated "I am available 24 hours a day 6 days a week, will you hire me?"
She asked me what day I was unavailable, to which I replied "Sunday."
She said she couldn't hire me.
This made me realize one of the major problems facing retail then and now; sometimes being so inflexible with someone who is so flexible leads to labor shortages and losing someone worth hiring.
Don't be so inflexible with your staff (or so inflexible as a potential employee) that you can't find a way to make something like this work!
Some of my fellow Yankee fans need to be coaxed out of their thumb in mouth, lying on the ground fetal position they are in due to the Yankees not signing Cliff Lee. From an HR perspective, I think the signing of Lee by the Phillies (and the non-signing of Cliff Lee by the Yankees) makes perfect sense for both organizations.
For the Phillies - here's a guy (Lee) who never wanted to leave in the first place. The Phillies thought that they couldn't afford him, but when Jason Werth left to play elsewhere, money freed up on the payroll to afford Lee and give the Phillies the strongest rotation (on paper) seen since the 90's Atlanta Braves.
For the Yankees - the Yankees have bigger question marks (shaky bullpen, aging left side of the infield), and not signing Lee has allowed the Yankees to address these issues at a lower price. Sure, Lee would have been a great #2 on the Yankees, but the Yankees need to get their money's worth out of existing talent (Sabathia, Burnett, Nova, Hughes, and the possibly) returning Andy Pettitte)
Looking at this scenario from a business perspective, sometimes getting the best available is not as good as going for the best - and sometimes that means looking from within the existing talent you have. This coming season, the Phillies may be better than the Yankees, but from a long-term perspective, this deal may take a few years to assess.
My white paper includes some general basics on what you should do to keep your staff happy while maintaining an effective and efficient labor schedule. This set of principles lays the foundation (especially for any effective small business, restaurant, or retail outlet) to keep the crew happy while keeping the operation running.
Some of the highlights -
1. If you know some of your staff works a second job, work with them to ensure they have 1 day off per week from either job
2. Have all employees fill out a preference sheet upon starting employment to indicate when they are available.
3. Use overlaps in your schedule to keep communication between shifts from being ineffective or non-existent.
4. Staff shifts with a good mix of new and experienced workers.
Labor costs are one of the largest concerns in business today. The act of controlling labor costs without reducing your labor force is a very delicate operation.
A great resource I use to demonstrate how easy it is to manage your labor costs is Time Forge. My friends at Time Forge have provided a unique platform online to demonstrate how to use your labor effectively.
I've been a member of LinkedIn since it was an invite only site. My buddy Hugh turned me on to the site and since then I've seen it grow into a multi-million member networking site.
Of late, I've noticed more and more people participating in LinkedIn Groups, sharing files, posting discussion questions, and more. Here are some of the great reasons to use LinkedIn
- reconnect with past employers
- post more info than can fit on a traditional resume about your career and experiences
- get references from employers, colleagues, professors, and more
- list books you are interested in and create discussions
This past Saturday I had a table at a local trade show/craft fair, and had great results meeting some new potential customers and clients. In the facility with 29 other vendors, I saw varying degrees of interest in selling and promoting services. The approach by the most successful was to offer a pleasant greeting when people came by, and by taking a passive but professional approach to each customer.
Some of the best trade shows and booths that I have been to over the years have had a high energy feel to them, but didn't go to far with it by coming across as hard-sell. Booths that saw less results either had people who hid behind displays, seemed disinterested in being there, or were too pushy or not pushy enough.
The key with trade shows, to me, is to try different venues and target markets out each year, and only repeat a show if you saw results that were above and beyond expectations. Sometimes, changing a venue opens you up to a completely different audience before and a new mix of vendors.
Sometimes, the best source of new business as well is the people hosting the event or the vendors you work alongside; don't dismiss them as potential new partners, customers or resources.
Next time you do a trade show or booth for your business, take all these things into account.
At my booth, you will get the chance to win an iPod Touch, iPod Shuffle, or one of two $15 iTunes Gift Cards. All you have to do is come to the craft fair/celebration (Free Admission!) between 11 and 4 and fill out an entry blank at my booth.
As an added bonus, even if you don't win one of the prizes, you can put up to three HR/business/technology related questions on the entry form and I will get back to you within 48 hours with some advice and feedback.
One of the key factors that makes you stand out from other applicants and employees is your ability to network with others and bring relevant contributions to and from industry groups.
It has become easier over the last few years to be an active member of several different membership groups virtually. No longer does time, distance, or mobility hinder your efforts to become an active part of civic, professional, or volunteer groups.
On LinkedIn, I am a member of several regional, national, and international groups that allow me to bounce ideas, share news, or get information on upcoming events. These groups do not require a membership fee and connect you with people from all walks of life.
The traditional membership also still has its place; whether you join a local Chamber of Commerce, SHRM chapter, or other industry group, ensuring that you keep the dialogue going is critical to make these groups worth your time.
What groups do you belong to? How effective are they for your business and personal needs and wants?
Do you go to a business because you have "fallen in love" with the people that work there? Or do you have people you work with or for who make you feel passionate about going to work everyday?
There are many people out there who are worth "falling in love with professionally". What I mean by this is becoming so intrigued and amazed by the experiences this person brings about that you choose to frequent their business over anyone else. These people make you feel like you are the only person on the planet when you are dealing with them, yet are able to run their operation smoothly, even in busy times. They practice "emotional labor", a term Seth Godin uses to describe the effort people need to put in to everything they do in his latest book, Linchpin
The passion that people bring to work, the genuine smile, and the excitement about what they do can lead to great customer service and repeat business. I share a story often with people about a young man who treats every soda he pours at the movie theater like its the most amazing thing that has ever happened. He has passion and love for his work.
If you can make people fall in love with you professionally, think of the kind of rapport and reputation you will develop. While needs can easily be fulfilled by others, fulfilling customers' wants (including wanting to see you and your smile) will put you ahead of your competition, always.
Do you go to a business because you have "fallen in love" with the people that work there? Or do you have people you work with or for who make you feel passionate about going to work everyday?
There are many people out there who are worth "falling in love with professionally". What I mean by this is becoming so intrigued and amazed by the experiences this person brings about that you choose to frequent their business over anyone else. These people make you feel like you are the only person on the planet when you are dealing with them, yet are able to run their operation smoothly, even in busy times. They practice "emotional labor", a term Seth Godin uses to describe the effort people need to put in to everything they do in his latest book, Linchpin
The passion that people bring to work, the genuine smile, and the excitement about what they do can lead to great customer service and repeat business. I share a story often with people about a young man who treats every soda he pours at the movie theater like its the most amazing thing that has ever happened. He has passion and love for his work.
If you can make people fall in love with you professionally, think of the kind of rapport and reputation you will develop. While needs can easily be fulfilled by others, having a customers wants (including wanting to see you and your smile) will put you ahead of your competition, always.
We all may have encountered in our time coworkers, peers, or even people we work for who are disgruntled with their work situation (or with the people that they work with). There are many strategies out there to deal with these situations, but some of the best ways I have encountered are:
1. Letting the person vent in a safe environment; sometimes diffusing the situation is best accomplished my allowing them to work it out with a neutral third party.
2. Looking at the underlying issues causing the frustration; are there extenuating circumstances outside of work that are causing the stress.
3. (and possibly the most important one) Take discontent seriously. When employees come to you with issues they are having, they need to be addressed (and directly where it is possible); nothing exacerbates a problem more than not intervening early enough in the process to diffuse it from getting worse.
What are your suggestions for handling disgruntled employees?
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