Phil/Tiger - Ryder Cup

I admit, I never thought nor did I care much about Golf. Even when all the hype started around Phil Mickelson and Tiger’s first pair-up (I may be wrong on the when) I didn’t know much about the game. Golf channel, schmolf channel.
I heard about it but of course I had never played golf in my life. I did start to gain interest in the game as I started to get more into corporate and leadership roles. Golf was the game to play if you wanted to network within business. While some may feel this is true, I finally took the first step in my addiction in August of 2008.

There is a golf course behind where I live and because of a good deal I said “what the heck, might as well try.” So I went to the range with a pro to get sized and he took out a 6 iron (typical club to get a feel and start with the game). I took my first swing and an immediate rush came through me, “Woooo, this feels cool.” Since then I have been hooked. Mind you, I am not consistent, but I now play with a score in the 90’s, which I have heard is not bad. I have learned a lot from the game that can be applied to the profession of Human Resources.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practice: Before I even started playing on a course I spent 6 weeks on the golf range. An area where all you do is hit range balls into a somewhat open field. I have been told this is the best way to start. It helps you begin to get a feel for how far you can hit each club, the basics of your swing and just get comfortable before you get a chance to hate the game. I believe that any profession takes practice. The more an HR pro can take the time within and outside of their regular environment, focus on the basics of the people and processes of their job; the better they will be able to address real problems and projects that need attention.

Before the shot

Take time to get familiar with the landscape: Some of the best golf courses have great landscapes and scenery. Many times the beauty is a illusion to the challenges of each hole. This diversity within each course is never the same from hole to hole. There maybe some similarities but no hole is the same. This is why you first need to assess the landscape and begin to think about what information you have to get closer to par.

In HR, we run into compliance, employee and business issues all the time. If we do not first assess the situation and all of its aspects, we cripple the effectiveness that we could have. HR.com has plenty of resources for assessments. If you understand and assess the situation as it relates to the correct context, you can take a better approach when making a decision and/or recommendation.

How are you doing and what could you do better?

Know your strengths/weaknesses: Another thing I learned on the range and when I finally got out to the course was where I was good and bad. I began to see what I needed work on and where I was OK. I knew from the beginning that I had a good drive (which still could use work), my short game from the fairway was horrible and my putting was OK. When I was able to identify my strengths and weaknesses I was better able to fix areas in my game as well as identify where I needed more work.

Not everyone is good at benefits. Some people are better at training than reviews. The key is to know your strengths and match them to the aspects of the work that you do. The more HR can identify the strengths and areas of improvement in their own productivity, relationships with customers and colleagues, breakdowns in communication, etc. the more we can become more effective.

Patience: I am a pretty patient person. The best golf courses offer a wide open area with beautiful scenery is just one of the perks for being out on the course. The environment helps you think about what your next move will be as well as clear your mind from any other distractions that I may face. It doesn’t matter what happens with my family, job situation, people or circumstances; golf helps to clear my mind and focus on one thing at a time. I am sometimes able to come up with new ideas that I otherwise would not have had if I was not on the course. I also take time for me which is one of the most important things you can do. Regardless of the activity, take time out and do what you enjoy so you can be a joy while doing what you have to do.

Nike Slingshot 4D

Which Club (Tool): At the start, I had no idea the point of 14 different clubs were. All I knew was that I needed to hit the ball as far as I could regardless of what club I used. As I have gained more knowledge and practice; I have realized what each clubs purpose and distance is. The clubs are tools that can help you get closer to the hole. For every player, the distance and accuracy is different. Some may hit a 9 iron 150 yards, while another person may only hit 110. The important thing that I learned as I played more was which club to use when.

In HR there are many tools: from LMS to HRIS, SAP and Databases. We have employee reviews, 360’s, vendors for benefits and legal compliance. Even the programs we create for performance management. All of these items are tools to help us do our job and ultimately become a better function and partner to the business. Know what tools you have available and what the purpose of those tools are before you just start hitting!

Where do you want to be?

Strategy: When you are on the course, there are so many things you have to address. The course lie, which club to use, the wind, stance, grip, ball flight, etc., etc. (besides being a HR dork, I am also a golf dork – I know – you can clown me later). With all these factors you have to think about the step you take well before you putt. You have to set up your tee shot and your approach. You also need a strategic plan, which determines your approach to the hole at any point in time.

HR also needs to have a strategic plan, which not every person is effective at beginning. This is a “thinking plan” that goes over the next year or more and how HR will get to where it wants to go as well as what metrics will measure its success. For golf the metric is simple, make par or less. For HR there are many factors to your plan and how that plan ties to the entire organization, product or program.

Colleagues: When I started to play golf, I barely knew of anyone that played. As soon as I started and people found out, I came to realize how many people were connected through the game. It was like I had bought a new Honda CRV and now all of a sudden I noticed how many CRV’s were on the road. A commonality began to form. Before I knew it, people I would have never met or come into contact with, I was now able join in for a game. There are many people that I network with as a result. Side note: like seeing someone waiting for an interview in the lobby, you can get to know a lot about a person’s character by watching how they approach the game of golf.

Work towards perfection, but understand you are not perfect!

Understand that you will never be the BEST, but you can always get better: I would love to be like the pros and have the greatest drive, approach, short and putting game. The reality is that I could probably never give the commitment or energy to become that great. Even the best players in the world will not be the best for long. There will always be someone that can do better. Get over it. This is life. Do the best you can and approach every aspect of your job the best you can. It may or may not always be what is desired but regardless, no one can be perfect, but with the WILL, they can get better!

I have learned so much and hope to learn more from the game. I just hope, like in any game of life, that I get better with time, energy, knowledge and practice.

HR-The New Cool Kids

Recently, I came across an article from Fast Company written in 2007 entitled “Why We Hate HR” stating many reasons why Human Resources functions are ineffective at driving ethics, business strategy and the culture of an organization. Some points raised that were proof of this: HR people, at a Las Vegas HR conference, held education in communication at a higher value then Law, Business and Strategy. Even stating that the function did what was organizationally expedient rather then what actions were more valuable to the business. While there were many statements that were listed, one quote summarized many of the points in the article best by saying, “most HR organizations have ghettoized themselves literally to the brink of obsolescence…” ouch. A Big Lebowski ouch.

So here we are almost three years later and what has changed about the function or the people within it. I think a lot. At least from what I am seeing. While this article and those within other areas of business may find HR obsolete. I believe that this is a time where HR, HRD, OD and all the other acronyms you can list has started to see a rise in the times. In my personal opinion, I feel that HR has never been given it’s just do. But you have to get over that and suck it up because; as Tom Hanks would say there’s no crying in baseball.

Even while many of us within are doing what is needed to provide value and access, I believe that in the past, the business world has never allowed or given permission for us to be effective. It may be as if it has subconsciously set HR up for failure. Even with this past, I feel that we have the potential to be needed now more than ever. Here are some of the reasons why:

1. Building the Company Brand – An employee experiences all of HR. They are often interviewed, on-boarded; take part in performance reviews and disciplinary hearings with us present. There is no doubt that with as many people that are unemployed there will be damage to a company’s brand during the off-boarding process as well. You see this person being let go is not just an employee but may have been customer and referrer of your products and services. The negative feelings at departure could turn into negativity towards the company and a severely bad attitude toward its reputation as well. When I hear negative comments about a company, I most often times hear it in context or in direct connection to HR. While HR may not have been the cause of that employee’s unemployment, they are definitely a part of that employees experience at departure. We can be the next big game-changer of the perception of that employee and all in the future. If anything, there is a possibility that we can help turn around that person’s idea and perception of the company.
2. Re-Acquisition and Retention of Talent – “Gatekeeper” is often a word closely associated with HR. Within the recruiting cycle we source, attract and can even grant entrance to key positions within the company. With the unemployment rate reaching 9.5% as of October 2009 there are more people, talented and educated, that have been downsized. Many of these individuals are not only looking for security, but also the opportunity to help create value to the bottom line within the company. Regardless of industry, we are positioned to help the business and its managers understand who is out there and how to attract them. We, as HR, also have the potential to help management understand what it takes to develop and retain this talent so they can become a dedicated force that helps to build commitment to the company and marketers of its products and services.
3. Strategy, New Ideas and Approaches – Just under the surface, a new crop of HR professionals are molding and changing the landscape as we know it. All across the landscape in articles, un-conferences, on internet radio, blogs, tweets and in the marketing of HR, professionals are speaking up, being open and honest about the direction of the field and where we need to be as it relates to the effectiveness of the employees.
4. Law and Benefits – Let’s face it, who knows better about how new employment law, benefits and legislation changes affect the employee and business. They need us in order to assess and evaluate what options are best available. Well maybe they don’t but maybe they do!
5. Good HR can improve performance – Read the article!

SUPER HR

With the economics of today, more candidates understand the importance of contributing to a company. Yet at the same time more and more individuals are not only wanting a great career with growth opportunities, but also a work life balance with the knowledge that a company will not only let them be a functioning employee but also a fully functioning individual. When it comes down to it, good HR is good business. These are just a few of the many reasons why I know Human Resource people are the new cool kids in town. Let’s not just show everyone how cool we are; let’s make them all see just how cool of an asset have been and will be in the future.

Organizations make the case that employees need the best and the brightest. They use this to capitalize on ways to improve performance, increase productivity and ultimately increase the bottom line. A company may be able to snag the best and the brightest but how can they keep them. More pay, more benefits can increase the retention. Work environment is definitely a no brainer as well as the actual workability of the people that we work with.

What does development look like for you?

Yet, something I feel strongly about is Training and Organizational Development which is also a tool. So HRD/Learning professionals do the assessments and needs analysis. We often build the content and are charged with the delivery and facilitation. And at times the HRD people are even held to the operational successes, imposed as ROI, for the results that are tied to the training that is delivered to operations, sales, etc, etc.

Yet, many times, the same professional charged with the success, are often left out of the professional development equation. Budget lines rarely include the continued development and upgrade of certifications for the learning leader.

Ok my own little pity party I know – truth is I started to write this about a month ago and I believe personal & professional development is important. Some suggestions from HRSuperstar made some great. We as HR professionals need to not only argue for but also take charge of our own professional development. Unfortunately if we were to leave it up to our bosses, we would often times be disappointed.

So some approaches I personally have taken in the past:

• Identify low or no cost training: A few online programs are Geo On Demand and GCFLearnFree.org. I actually like GCF for their capability of self study and live online courses you can sign up for.
• Webinars: Many organizations offer free information webinars that are live. These can be viewed from your desktop at work and are offered by a number of organizations like learnshare.org, skillsoft.com, etc. If you are interested contact me and I can send you some.
• Local associations: While they are not the end all be all, an association can not only offer great information within your field, but when used correctly, they can help you build avenues to best practice share and offer networks and friendships that can last a lifetime.
• The key: Make it a habit to stay up to date and fresh. Not just for your own knowledge, but to keep your network and relationships fresh and sincere. Don’t just join, but also take part in groups and committees on a regular basis. While you may not be able to attend a large conference, a small group can offer more informal and intimate learning opportunities that can affect your own results; not just in your function but also within the industry you work.

The important thing is not how many avenues you are a part of, but how deep and wide you make yourself a part! I am an avid reader, twitter’ r r and information junky. I listen to blog radio shows (i.e. HR Happy HR). I have been a member of ASTD as well as ABC (construction trades) associations. I also recently started to attend a Business Seminar at University of Cincinnati. All of these not only give me knowledge in areas that I dot not commonly practice, but help give insight and acumen to the practices, processes and procedures the people within my and other professions face.

We cannot do everything but with so much access through social media, online radio, face to face, I don’t think there are as many excuses as there use to be! Whatever it is that you choose to take part in, whether association, certification, Class, webinar, seminar, whatever – As HR people doing even a little bit will help to increase our understanding of and the delivery and effectiveness of the programs we create both personally and professionally.

Get your learn on!