As I was waiting for my meal at a local PNW burger restaurant, I glanced to my
right and noticed a “Wall of Fame” displaying various employees of the month.
There was a picture of each employee with their name underneath. There was no
description of why they were nominated for the award, what they did to go above
and beyond, etc. I thought to myself, “Do companies still use this outdated
program and think it is effective?” One of two results happen with this type of
program: 1.) The same employeDo Big Things: The Simple Steps Teams Can Make to Mobilize Hearts and Minds,
and
Make an Epic Impact
[https://www.amazon.com/Do-Big-Things-Simple-Mobilize-ebook/dp/B074WHB7NH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524933709&sr=8-1&keywords=do+big+things]
written by Craig Ross, Angela Paccione, and Victoria Roberts focuses on
activating the talent your team possesses so you can deliver on results.
The authors begin by explaining the antiquated change model depicted in most
organizations:
Step 1: Announce theThe available candidate pool is tight. It is taking months to fill positions.
Yet, hiring managers and recruiters are still holding on to outdated stereotypes
and biases that keep them from hiring good people. Here is a list of biases we
need to get over so we can build our teams with the strongest members possible:
1. Age: This should never be a factor in an employment decision, although in
reality, I know that older candidates are passed over frequently. Why is
this? Do we think theyYour application has been submitted. Interviews are finished. Now you wait.
If you are lucky, you will receive a job offer. But, after receiving and
accepting that offer from your soon-to-be new employer, have you ever asked the
question: “Why was I hired?”
In my almost 20 years of working in HR, I don’t recall ever being asked that
question. Think about what a smart question that is, though. Now that you have
been hired, you should feel comfortable asking HR, your manager and even the
interviMost managers have that one employee who is just a nightmare! Yes. This is true.
They may dread seeing them in the hallway or may not look forward to one-on-one
meetings with them. If the manager hired them, they constantly question how they
missed the warning signs during the interview process. If they inherited them
from another team, they wonder how in the world they are still employed.
I thought it was only fair to cover both sides and follow up on my previous
article: How to Be the Worst MYou are diligently working long hours, crushing deadlines, and receiving
excellent feedback from colleagues at all levels of the organization. Maybe you
have taken on more responsibilities and/or joined a cross-functional team that
is beyond your scope.
Most of us believe we deserve and are worth much more money than we are actually
paid. Sometimes this is true; other times, not so much. If you are planning to
ask for a raise, here are some guidelines:
1. Be prepared to list specific accompliHave you ever applied and interviewed for an internal position where you left
the interview feeling that the hiring manager already made his or her decision
and your meeting was more of a “check the box” activity? That’s what we call the
courtesy interview.
Some organizations have policies that require all internal candidates to be
interviewed. Some hiring managers like to give everyone an opportunity.
For the record, I dislike courtesy interviews for many reasons.
First, I believe in transpaIf you are a manager, you likely have a specific style that you gravitate
toward. However, the best managers know how to use a variety of styles based on
situations and the individual employee.
Generally, there are six different management styles:
1. Autocratic: This style is directive. The manager tells employees what to do
and they fear consequences for not following specific directions. Employees
are not allowed to think freely and managers don’t seek feedback. This style
is efMost organizations conduct background checks of some variety. There are many
different checks that can be conducted:
1. Criminal history: Examples include arrests, felonies, convictions, and sex
offender registry. They can be run nationwide, statewide, and by county. The
typical company will only go back seven years, but some will check for
lifetime offenses.
2. Credit history: At least seven states (California, Connecticut, Hawaii,
Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, and Washington) Yes. You can!
When we think of career development, we usually think in terms of vertical or
upward movement. This could include a new title, a bigger paycheck/bonus, a
higher level of responsibility, a team to manage, etc. However, in smaller
companies, this option may not be available because there are much fewer upward
opportunities overall. You may be waiting years for someone to either leave the
company or retire. There is also a much greater internal pool of potential
candidates as your coTransparency in business means honesty and openness; the quality of being easily
seen through. So many organizations claim to have an “open door” policy. But,
how many actually demonstrate this value?
Take a moment to think about the best companies you have worked for. I bet that
the best companies had an open and honest leadership culture. You felt like you
truly could speak frankly about your ideas, gripes, and what the leadership team
needed to do to make the workplace better.
This organizaTwo men were recently arrested at a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia for
trespassing after they did not purchase anything. They were waiting for a friend
and one asked to use the restroom. The store manager asked them to leave and
they refused so she called 911.
How many times have you hung out at a coffee shop all day to work and use the
free wi-fi? Did you use the restroom while you were there? Were you asked to
leave? Probably not.
This extremely unfortunate event shows how much more f