This is a selfish moment. As a result of this moment…

I will be stepping on my soapbox!

Here it goes…

To those writing/speaking on “How to get Exec/#CEO buy-in.” How many of you talk often w/ Exec team…. I didn’t think so! #trenchHR

December 2, 2011 12:55 PM via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

@BenjaminMcCall

Benjamin McCall

There are a lot of people out there writing articles. Practitioners, employees and consultants preaching the “How To’s:

• How to… talk to the C-Suite
• How to… give your CEO what he wants
• How to… deal with the leadership team
• How to… speak their language
• How to… tie HR to the bottom line of the business
• How to… build a case for the president…
• and so on and so on.

Some of it is good advice and much of it is crap. The bottom line: every executive, leadership and business unit head is different. What they face dependant on industry, employee population and customer can range. There are multiple factors. I understand that if you have no foundational understanding that these articles and this talk may help. But at the very core of these conversations is the idea or belief that you will receive some sort of ‘Silver Bullet’ to know exactly what you need to do in every situation.

My advice before taking any of this advice…

Tread lightly!

Before you take anyone’s advice, first ask yourself or those who write and/or speak about anything related to “How do you get the Executive team or CEO’s buy-in?” this

…”How often do you talk with an Executive team member or the CEO?” or “How often do they speak to you?”

My gamble would be that these individuals do not speak to them often or often enough. What you need to have above all else is ACCESS.

Of course this is just my thought process and also the reason why I will be…

Stepping down from my soap box now!

Often we are not really that busy. More often then not, when any of us complain that we never have enough time it is really stemmed from the fact that we DON’T take enough time to just focus on a few things and get the project or task completed or over with. Now just imagine how much time the following things take:

• complaining
• pointing fingers
• waiting on someone else to make a decision
• waiting on someone else to give instructions
• waiting on someone else…
• blaming
• offering opinion and suggestions but never any alternative actions
• etc, etc…

When all you really need to do is (1) sit down (2) organize your priorities and (3) complete them in order!

Who knows maybe if you did that huge pile of “too busy” will become an empty stack of “relief”

Don’t over complicate things by making things over-complicated!

Everything changes

People have often thought that change is hard to come by. We somehow have this belief that “common sense” is consistent across every individual. While you can argue such things as being polite or not hitting a child as just “common sense,” you should not make the argument that your common sense is shared by everyone.

Memory

I have memories of when I was younger.  Being told I was not capable or perceived that “that thing you want to be or do” is not possible. It was often statements and perceptions like these that kept me, and many of us, locked from reaching a far higher potential. However, just as I have those memories I also have information stored within me that helped me believe more in myself. I have memories that were probably forgotten for good reason. Everything has memory. We may not believe it to be true but it does.

Challenging perceptions

Recent studies have convinced researchers that water has “memory.” That it has an architecture to store information and retrieve it. The idea in itself is baffling and challenges the very logic we have been taught. However, that same logic (with proof) allows use to make sense of it all.

Challenge your own memories… and make new ones!

With any change there are the naysayers and the hopeful that will cry for or against the change. However, no matter how painful a change may seem or uncertain the outlook…. change is inevitable. Get use to it and adjust! Unlike what some predict the world will not end… not until October 21st… “probably” but most likely or maybe 2012