I’m one of those guys who is a very big fan of Thanksgiving dinner.  I like to help with the menu, the shopping, the preparation and the presentation. I enjoy the noise of a football game in the background and sneak peeks at the TV for a quick cheer and scream.  And once the table is set, the wine is poured, toasts are made and the plates start to pass, I relax in the knowledge that an avalanche of near-death caloric intake is about to be unleashed.

Afterwards, in between the quiet belly moans and tryptophan-laden eyelids, I reflect on this gluttonous display while the dishwasher fights against crusted gravy and red cranberry stains.  Sleep beckons but I know I’m only minutes away from pie-related questions, a whip cream vote, and a fork standing on end as if to declare definitively that “this meal is not yet over!”

So by now you’re asking yourself, “What does this have to do with human resources?”  Maybe nothing, but I believe that this is the same mentality our industry has when times are good:

• Consume everything
• Digest very little
• Be lulled to sleep
• …and go back for more

So enjoy the break and indulge yourself a little.  Come next Monday we can start worrying about our HR diet and how to exercise good judgement into the New Year.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

P.S. - Don’t forget to check our Rowan Manahan’s special Thanksgiving Edition of the Carnival of HR over at Fortify Your Oasis.  It’s chocked full of delicious posts by some of the best bloggers in the industry.  Bon appetite!

Over the course of this week I had the opportunity to visit with a wide variety of executives.  They ranged from leaders of multi-billion dollar enterprises to emerging entrepreneurs.  What struck me most was the polarization of attitudes across two distinct camps, namely the “sea monkeys” versus the “seahorses”.

Monkey Sea, Monkey Do

Sea Monkeys take me back to copies of Boys’ Life magazine in the early 70s.  The ads were all about creating something out of nothing and bringing life forward from a few mail-ordered packets.  So we ordered them, prepared the mixture and - tada! - instant fun…for at least a few days.  (And no, they never seemed quite as happy as their smiling pictures.)  

 This week I met a variety of pre-hatched Sea Monkeys.  Like their tiny friends, these executives and employees were in a state of cryptobiosis - also known as suspended animation.  During cryptobiosis, an organism stops their metabolic processes and can survive until environmental conditions return to a more hospitable state.  Upon such a return to “normal”, the organism revives to continue its regular life. 

Look around you this morning, perhaps even in the mirror.  Don’t be alarmed at what you see, as most of corporate America has entered a state of suspended animation.  Now that you know what to look for, you’ll find Sea Monkeys everywhere.  And that, my friends, is an enormous problem during a time of crisis.

Saddle Up!

When I first saw a seahorse, I was surprised by the lack of several important horse-like features - no long mane, no hooves and no saddle.  Of course I was six, but that was a good warning against future literal interpretations.  

As I got older, I learned of Greek mythology’s hippocamp, often described as a “horse in its forepart with a coiling, scaly, fishlike hindquarter.”  This creature was also referred to as a sea-horse and was depicted more as my elementary school mind had imagined.

These sea-horses were often associated with heroes such as the Homeric poems of Poseidon.  They pulled chariots and guided riders across rough seas, into battle, and through the tumult to their ultimate destination.  The hippocamps were seen as fearless and sometimes ferocious.  Their stories, actions and images have been passed down for thousands of years.

Can you spot any seahorses in your organization?  I met a few and they are pragmatic, fearless, empathetic and driven.  They know someone needs to lead and step into those positions willingly, even if it ultimately leads to their own demise.  And right now, we need more of them to step up and be noticed.

So Which Are You?

A simple description of the modern seahorse summarizes my point - “Seahorses swim upright with their tails down and their heads up”.  So keep your head up and avoid the tendency to enter suspended animation.  The alternative is to live in constant fear, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Wake up all you sea monkeys, and let’s keep the conversation going.  

On Saturday I discovered that I was “it”.  You know, “it”, as in the game of tag from when we were children.  Apparently there is a rousing game of HR blog tag going round and Jessica Lee of Fistful of Talent fame got me.  Nice work Jessica.

And what does being “it” mean exactly?  Among other things, it means that I need to tell my readers seven things they don’t already know about me.  So strap yourselves in as I open the top secret dossier:

1. I have been moonlighting as a voice actor for nearly twenty years, including gigs for Southwest Airlines, Greyhound, HP, MetLife and others.  You can laugh at my current demo track here.
2. I am the proud father of two dachshunds (Charley & Otto).  They call the shots, but every once in a while we get revenge (see Halloween pics here).  And Charley has his own “Wiener Blog” where he’s plotting a dachshund revolution, so watch your ankles.
3. I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was raised on beer and brats until the age of six.
4. My brother is the world’s leading expert on White Papers.  (And yes, the world does, in fact, need a leading expert on white papers.)  See WhitePaperSource.com or WritingWhitePapers.com for more info.
5. I’ve completed six marathons and used to be a rock climbing enthusiast.  
6. My best friend and I competed to see how many lives we could save during our undergrad years.  We tied at 11 each when I pulled a drowning Australian to shore during graduation weekend.
7. My company’s name was actually penned by my good friend Phil Fersht of Horses for Sources fame.  I don’t know if I stole it, per se, but I definitely jumped the gun on him.

So there you have it!  I’m sure there are more bizarre bits of info I could share but that should whet your appetite.  Have a great week and let’s keep the conversation going.

Sure, it’s the HR Carnival, but maybe you’re not in the mood for cotton candy and a giant stuffed prize.  Check out this month’s Carnival - hosted by Ask A Manager - for some sound advice from 26 top HR bloggers, including:

“Wall Bock at Three Star Leadership asks what kind of working environment you create, and says that individual worker engagement is important, but engagement and productivity can change dramatically when a person is placed in a different environment.

Totally Consumed asks whether your employees trust the HR department and gives three principles to help get an HR department on track.

Prasad Kurian at Simplicity at the Other Side of Complexity says that when we are faced with situations that are radically different from the norm, we might need responses that look very different too.”

Enjoy the sugar rush and let’s keep the conversation going.

My day has consisted of endless conversations with those who are at a crossroads.  For some it was an unexpected pink slip upon return from a long weekend.  For others it’s the heart wrenching decision to lay off staff in order to keep their business alive.  And for others it’s a question of whether they raid the college fund in order to pay their mortgage and grocery bills.  

Let’s face it folks - times are tough, no one is immune and fear is spreading.  Even the hope for change cannot seem to stop this runaway train.  So what the hell are people supposed to do?  

Here are a few quotes that caught my attention for those caught in the fray.  I’ll let you decide for yourself between arrogance and empathy.  Enjoy and let’s keep the conversation going.

“Remember, this is not my company, and this is not our investors’ company. This company is all of ours, and it’s up to all of us where we go from here. The power lies in each and every one of us to move forward and come out as a team stronger than we’ve ever been in the history of the company.”  - Email from Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh following an 8% layoff

“Tell them to take the afternoon off and give them a gift card for free pizza. For someone working for $14 or $15 an hour, getting a $50 restaurant card is a big chunk of change.” - SHRM member and Intelligent Compensation President Bob Cartwright on incenting employees

“Any serious businessperson knows that a contract is a contract.” - Danny Donohue, President of the Civil Service Employees Assocation, in response to New York Gov. David Paterson’s call for $5.2B in budget cuts, including union renegotiations

“The low hanging fruit, i.e. idiots whose parents paid for prep school, Yale, and then the Harvard MBA, was there for the taking. These people who were (often) truly not worthy of the education they received (or supposedly received) rose to the top of companies such as AIG, Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers and all levels of our government. All of this behavior supporting the Aristocracy only ended up making it easier for me to find people stupid enough to take the other side of my trades. God bless America.” - Andrew Lahde, former hedge fund manager who quit after making a 800+% gain last year

When I first became a manager I made countless mistakes. These often bordered on cataclysmic disasters with possibly devastating results for myself, my team and my employer.  Fortunately I was able to dodge a few bullets and live to tell the tale.  But in looking back, I wish that someone - ANYONE - would have taken the time to teach me how to be a better manager.

Nick McCormick’s Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager is a terrific guide for new managers and offers some reminders to seasoned professionals.  It’s a very quick read at 73 pages and includes guides and exercises to stay sharp.  

[In all candor, Nick mailed me his book some time ago.  It sat on my desk for months, and I just couldn’t bring myself to read yet another business strategy guide.  My sincerest apologies to you Nick for the unnecessary delay.] 

Although I don’t think this is a good fit for senior executives, Nick presents some very straightforward advice for entry and mid-level managers.  One item that struck a chord is from Chapter 5: Listen:

“You are not nearly as important as you think you are - so don’t act that way…. In American culture we tend to equate leadership with yapping.  There is no correlation.  Just because you are a manager doesn’t mean you need to pipe up all the time.” (pg. 29)

Too true.  So go buy the book in bulk and force your junior managers to consume it whole.  Then test them.  Then reinforce its principals.  Then examine your own management and see if you pass the test.  At the end of the day, we all could use a refresher.  

Let’s keep the conversation going.

Sure, you pride yourself on separating paper from plastic while dragging blue canisters to the curb on Tuesdays.  Or perhaps you once attended a Green Festival with your environmentally conscious niece and walked away with a bag you can reuse for groceries (but always forget in the car).  Or maybe, just maybe, you convinced your company to put recycling bins in the break room so that all the empty water bottles could be reincarnated as an apron, carpet or bicycle rack.    

I know you’re trying, and for that alone you should be applauded.  But here’s the thing - you can do better.  We all can, which is why I have three absolutely fail-proof, no-brainer concepts for you and your eco-challenged organization:

1. Change Your E-Mail Signature Line - I’ve had four Fortune 500 clients email me about their pending adoption following a recently modification to my signature line.  This is an incredibly simple means of reminding employees and clients that not everything must be memorialized in paper form.  Here’s all it takes to save thousands per year:                                                                   P Please consider the environment before printing this email.
2. Double-Side When You Print - So you have to print something for a meeting.  No, I get it, it happens and sometimes can’t be avoided.  But why not use the double-sided option on your corporate printer?  Also called “duplex”, this should be set as your default by your IT department.  Urban Impact has other suggestions that can help you in this area as well.
3. Hit the Lights - When you leave a room (even one with auto on/off), just turn off the lights.  Conference rooms, hallways, break rooms, bathrooms, offices, reception areas (after hours)….just turn the frickin’ lights off people!  I live in Washington, DC, and every night I can look across the river and see towers of empty office buildings blazing away like Christmas trees.  This one can have a huge impact on costs and waste.

If you’re still reading and are thinking, “Um, no-duh Mark, these are pretty obvious”, you win the prize.  The problem is that the most obvious solutions are often the most overlooked.  Stop looking for big-bang wins and begin with little victories such as these.  You’ll feel good (maybe even smug for those who need that extra push) and help the environment.  So let’s start saving and keep the conversation going. 

I’m not sure about you, but I’m exhausted and elated.  Over two years of campaigning, fundraising, commercials, robo-calls, debates, discussions, predictions and outright hatred have come to a close… or have they?  Regardless of how you voted, most agree that the real work lies ahead.

So as leaders, what lessons can we take away from the election?  Here are five to consider:

1. Your People Are Your Most Important Asset: I know, not original, but we need to translate these pedantic words into action.  The largest grass-roots effort in history has just occurred, so start to embrace social media, localized empowerment, personalized brand extension, and other means of making your employees truly believe they are not only part of, but truly are your future success.
2. Authenticity Matters: Be who you truly are and not what you think people want you to be.  I heard a lot of talk after McCain’s concession speech regarding “the real John McCain”.  Whether you agree or not, your employees have a keen instinct for authenticity and will disregard leaders who pretend to be something they are not.
3. Break Through Conventional Wisdom: Stop falling back on the crutches of those formulas which have worked in the past by embracing innovation and rewarding thoughtful risk.  ”That won’t work here” is a simple barrier that must be broken, but your employees must feel that they are in a safe environment in order to unleash their inner-creativity and begin to instantiate change.
4. Smile and Have a Sense of Humor: In general, businesses are waaaaay too stuffy and need to lighten up a bit.  And if you’re afraid of offending employees and thereby causing yourself irreparable legal damage, you’re being short sighted.  The safest person to make fun of is yourself and the best situations to laugh at are your own (see my post on that here).  SNL’s unbelievable ratings showed that people respond to laughter over fear, so give it a chance.
5. Inspire Hope: For most of us, this is likely the most difficult attribute to replicate.  But remember that hope is more than a charismatic personality and a stirring speech.  Hope is the belief that something better is over the horizon and that attaining your goals is well within your grasp.  When was the last time that you turned to your employees and inspired them?  I’m certain it’s been a long time coming.

Have a wonderful day everyone, get some rest, and let’s keep the conversation going.

As you’ve already heard from every pundit, 24-hour news network, morning show, publication and podcast, the next two days are going to make history.  And as you’ve likely surmised, citizens of our great nation are extremely anxious about the outcome, no matter which candidate you support.  So as organizations and employers, it is our duty and responsibility to encourage employees to participate in our democratic process and exercise their right to vote.  Which begs the question - Are you encouraging employees to vote?

According to John Phillips, blogger/lawyer from The Word on Employment Law:

“Most states require employers to provide time for employees to vote on election day. While these laws vary in each state, they generally require employers to give employees time off to vote if the polls aren’t open two or three hours outside of the employee’s regular shift. Some of these states require that employers pay employees for time off while they are voting. Some states require employees to request time off from their employers in advance.” 

Many employers were hoping that early and absentee voting might prevent a major disruption to business on November 4th.  Despite these concerns, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that organizations such as Coca-Cola, Home Depot and Atlanta Gas Light Company are encouraging employees to vote and use their best judgment for time and place.  

The most innovative initiative I’ve found is The Vote Hour Project, an idea born from one person’s email to Google CEO Eric Schmidt asking him to record a message encouraging employees to get out and vote.  40+ other CEOs followed in kind, ranging from Tim Flynn of KPMG to Donald Trump.  Check out their website if you need examples to work from.  

So why is this so important?  The US Census Bureau found that in the 2004 Presidential Election, the number one reason cited for not voting was that people were “too busy” and had conflicting work schedules.  Your encouragement can make all the difference, so whether it’s via an internal email, a video or simply word of mouth, let’s do everything in our power to enable employees to exercise their rights as citizens and vote in tomorrow’s election.  It’s our duty to keep the conversation (and encouragement) going.