5 reasons to NOT promote someone (even if they do good work)

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Jeff

Do you know someone who can’t seem to quite figure out why they’re never selected to lead a project or head in handsgiven a promotion?   Sure you do.  In their minds, things just aren’t fair.  Not so coincidentally, they’re also the ones who talk about the “brown-nosers” and “do-gooders” that are getting those opportunities.

Most of these folks tend to show up on time and do decent work, but they really don’t want to be there.  They do just enough to skate by and don’t break any major policies.

The reality is that we have all likely been that person at some point (ah yes, my days of working at Sonic Drive-In in high school).

Chances are that if you are a frequent reader of my blog, this isn’t you, but you deal with it.

I can tell you that as an HR leader, these are the things that really concern me and it’s my job to make sure we have a culture free of them.  Don’t allow others to hurt the business and their own careers by making ANY of these mistakes.

1.  Always full of high drama.  Most people understand the importance of remaining professional at work. Unfortunately, too few realize that when they gossip and complain about things, even if they have valid concerns, that is a form of unprofessionalism.  This breeds mediocrity and isn’t allowed at great companies.

2.  Poor written communications. Everything we type or write as an employee of a company is not only a reflection on our personal brand, but it’s also a reflection on the company’s brand.  Poor communication shows that a person doesn’t really care much.

3.  Losing control when under pressure.  How people handle themselves when their backs are against the wall reveals a lot about the person. Pressure reveals weaknesses and separates those who are ready for advancement from those who aren’t.

4.  Lacking a desire to get involved. Truly good employees show they are serious about their career by volunteering to lead department projects, by getting involved with company fundraisers, or by offering to help with social activities.

5.  Having a generally poor attitude.   Easy to spot, this problem is too often seen as a ”right” of employees. Truly good employees make it a point to keep their energy levels high, acknowledge people, and be friendly. It makes for a better work environment for everyone and has a direct correlation to the bottom line.

If you are in a position of leadership, don’t allow people to negatively impact their career and the business.  Talk to them, make them aware of the problem and hold everyone accountable to those expectations.

Question:  What other issues would you add to this list?

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Leaders: 3 simple points on how to simplify

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Jeff

Does everything just seem too complex at times?simplify

You know how it is.  We try to do too much in hopes that we don’t drop the ball on anything important.  A meeting with the team to discuss this. A conference call to go over that.  A report that needs to be run in case it tells us anything new. And so it continues.

In the process, it all becomes a thick cloud of confusion over what we are really accomplishing with it all.  We stress out over results which doesn’t help things outside of work either.

“The mist in your mind will become a fog in your organization.” – Andy Stanley

So here’s something to consider.  Complexity is the enemy of clarity!

If we want to be truly effective and impactful, we can’t do everything. We’ve got to be willing to prune off everything but what is MOST important.

If you take a close look at great leaders, they do 3 simple things.

  1. Attend to what’s important.
  2. Ignore everything else.
  3. Keep the goal in front of them. Always.

So how do we do that?

Start by giving up the need to make everyone happy.  The greatest leaders the world has known did not make everyone happy.  Know your critical role and how you make a unique contribution.  Always be asking yourself what you are doing, why are you doing it and where do you fit in?  This goes for leaders in any capacity.

Do you feel like you need more time in the day?  Newsflash:  It’s the same for us all!  It’s not time we need, it’s space.  We need to free our minds from the clutter of the less important and keep focused on the goal.  Stop believing you can multi-task. Your brain can only truly focus on one thing at a time.

So, here’s where you are thinking, ”But Jeff, we’re trying to grow this business. There’s a lot of pressure to do so and we only have so much time.”  To that, I tell you that yes, growth creates complexity, and that is exactly when simplicity is required most.

We also need to create necessary endings.  We need to stop hoarding things that aren’t making the biggest difference.  Yesterday is gone and we need to move on with things that really matter.

We must have focused attention. Great leaders lead in a way that others can easily follow them. That requires a very clear, simple message.

Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.  Do you perform best when you feel under control?  That should be a resounding YES. The same holds true for the people you lead.

Calm is contagious.  Have a positive influence with your calm and clarity and see how it impacts your work and your life at home!

Question: Is your environment too complex at times?  Do you need to simplify at work (or home)?

Credit to many great speakers at last week’s Chick-Fil-A Leadercast for helping me be reminded of these great points, specifically Andy Stanley, Dr. Henry Cloud, John C. Maxwell and LCDR Rorke Denver.

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Why unemployment has been a great experience!

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Jeff

So it’s been one month since I found out I would be leaving my company of almost 7 years.  I Dyn-o-miteactually wrapped it up and put a bow on it last week.  This is week 1 of official unemployment.  Since writing my blog post Laid off….and what has me excited one month ago, I’ve had lots of people ask how it is going.  Some ask me if I’m still excited as if it was just a passing “hopeful” feeling.

The answer is undoubtedly a big YES.  In fact, I’m more excited than I was then.  Not because of what my old employer did or didn’t do, but because there’s a lot of opportunity to make a difference at other places.  I wouldn’t trade the experience I gained at the old place.  It’s a large part of what has put me in a great position now.

I’ve spent the last month laying the groundwork for a solid job search.  By that, I mean getting a solid feel for what the market looks like for my specific skills and interests in Human Resources.  I spent considerable time taking a hard look at what drives me the most and then targeting the places that I believe can provide the best opportunity to excel and have an impact.

Of course, I’ve also been doing lots of networking and connecting in various ways.  Being an active HR pro, I consider myself to be well-connected, but St. Louis is a big place.  As I connect with people, I’m blown away by the insight they willingly share.  But it doesn’t end there.  Without even asking, they provide names and contact info for others who they think can help, and the pattern continues.

I’ve always believed that when you put yourself around good people, that your “luck” compounds.  I’m finding that to be absolutely true.  Several potential opportunities are taking shape.  It may be two weeks, two months or beyond before the right one pans out, but either way, I have no doubt I’ll be better for it and ready to give back and help others like never before.

Finally, some of my favorite related thoughts:

  • Be intentional. Happen to your life. Don’t let your life happen to you.
  • Successful people are simply those with successful habits.
  • Read books and surround yourself with people who inspire you to think larger, reach farther and push toward excellence in all areas of your life.
  • When people are lame, they love to blame.
  • Action doesn’t guarantee success, but without it we are assured of failure

Question: Is all this a just a nice theory?  What has your experience been?

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