You should still care about the process of trying to reach a Triple Crown in 2013, however, and here is why:

1. Learn and move on – Take the long view. 2013 Kentucky Derby winner, Orb is owned by the Phipps/Janney family. This same family missed out on owning both Secretariat and Seabiscuit, two of the most famous and accomplished thoroughbred horses in racing history. This family could have walked away from horse racing altogether. Instead, they focused on the next opportunity to come, year after year. They developed more talented horses in their pipeline. They invested in long-term business relationships. They were not afraid to continue to take risks on building quality talent over time. They did not obsess over what they did not accomplish in years past. Similarly, when you have missed opportunities, or even failures (as much as people hate to use that word), you have to learn from them and move on.
2. Assemble the right team – Joel Rosario, the jockey and Shug McGaughey, Hall of Fame horse trainer completed the package pulled together by the ownership family to ensure Orb’s success to date at the Kentucky Derby 2013. No one can do it all on their own. Complement your areas of opportunity with others who have those strengths. You are all better together in the end every time. Chemistry between team mates matters.
3. Leverage your past – Gary Stevens is the jockey who rode  Oxbow to victory at the Preakness last Saturday. Stevens’ story is unique because he retired from racing in 2005. He returned earlier this year at age 50 – an enormous risk in this particular sport! The insights he has from all of those years of knowing horses so intimately cannot be replicated any other way. Similarly, draw on the past experiences only YOU have to bring to your current challenges. They can give you fresh perspective and the confidence you need to ensure a successful outcome now.
4. Ignore your own press – Going into the Preakness, the fans, the media, almost everyone, it seemed like was on “the Orb bandwagon”. People get behind a winner. Everyone wants to see another Triple Crown winner. Orb did not know the difference, and Oxbow certainly had other plans! Businesses in 2013+ operate from a “What have you done for me lately?” mindset. Just because you won a company-wide award last year does not mean job security. Reputation and stellar talent calls must be supported by business results year in and year out.

Before you place your bets for the Belmont Stakes on June 8th, consider the stories of Orb and Oxbow in 2013. The horses and the people who work with them can teach us all.

Betsy Winkler is Partner at People Results. She can be reached on Twitter @BetsyWinkler1 or on email at bwinkler@people-results.com. Sign up to receive her and her colleagues’ blog at Current.

Simple: Conquering the Crisis of Complexity, Alan Siegel & Irene Etzkorn

I love this book, because it made me realize that simplicity is harder than just being focused, concise or a minimalist. The authors take the goal of simplicity and break it down so you know how to aim for it in your work. One big ‘aha’ was that it takes empathy to be simple. I had never thought of it that way before, but it makes sense that you have to ‘walk in the shoes’ of your customer, your audience or your reader to realize the goal of simplicity.

How to Be Interesting, Jessica Hagy

No comments on why I really need this book! But, I really, really like it – simple, engaging and insightful. It’s an easy read, yet made me stop and think. Hop off the bandwagon. Drop the titles. Have a cause. Talk to strangers.  It reminded me of why some of these simple changes really matter …and, I’m sure they would make me more interesting.

Give and Take, Adam Grant

This is very visible in your local bookstore and well worth the read in my view.  My colleague, Martha Duesterhoft, shared how this is at the heart of real success in her post about being Wildly Successful.  It changed my view of givers and takers. It turns out that givers come out on top over the long haul – but, may experience some short term setbacks in certain situations and with some people. And, there are definitely times when being a giver may not be the best decision.  For you constant givers, there is some motivation in there for keeping the faith.

Org: The Underlying Logic of the Office, Ray Fisman and Tim Sullivan

This book is a really interesting look at how the organization was created to get a job done – something that can’t be accomplished alone – yet, most are full of dysfunction. The authors look at the root causes for the dysfunction and how we create much of it. If you want to make a change, it helps to understand the root cause of how it got that way. Given what I do for a living – this is good stuff. And, it’s chock full of great stories and examples that ring so true to me.  You’ll also learn that while CEOs spend over 80% of their time in meetings that’s where they should be!

The Inclusion Dividend, Mark Kaplan and Mason Donovan

We talk so much about diversity and inclusion as a priority. These authors spell out what inclusion really looks like and the benefits it brings. As someone who is very interested in how organizations change, they also help the reader figure out how to actually be more inclusive and, as a result, help your bottom line.  There are great real-life stories here – both successes and failures.

Daring Greatly, Dr. Brene Brown

I’m a Brene Brown fan. I find her work and voice very insightful. This is one I keep close by for a constant reminder of my struggle with vulnerability and the risk of avoiding it.  The title, “Daring Greatly,” is based on the quote from Teddy Roosevelt in 1910 that should be posted on our walls:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

Thanks, Teddy. And, a special thanks to Brene.

Patti Johnson is the CEO of PeopleResults and can be followed on twitter @pattibjohnson or her company @people_results.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve met hundreds of very experienced and qualified job-seeking executives who made professional networking their temporary full-time jobs. Here are some networking tips and reminders from these leaders and from my own experience – especially targeted for job seekers.

1. Be prepared – One finance leader I know recently landed a job by being prepared. Before interviewing with one company, he reviewed their website and their leaders’ bios, and he asked mutual connections about these leaders. He learned that their CEO had written an autobiography, and he read it. His preparation made it obvious to them that he was very interested and willing to do his homework. This made the difference in getting hired.
2. Be clear and specific – If you’re looking for a job and want me to help, please tell me exactly what kind of role you want. E.g., “I’m looking for the top HR role in a mid-sized company or in a division of a larger company in the healthcare industry – ideally a pharmaceuticals company, such as Happydrug Company or Megapharma Inc.” If you aren’t clear on that yet, then tell me how I can best help you on your way to getting clear.
3. Be unique – I will also appreciate it if you can tell me what unique experiences and contributions you bring to the table. E.g., “I’ve had experience with all aspects of HR, but I have deep skills in designing global compensation and benefits systems. I also have experience successfully implementing shared services with global organizations.”
4. Be assertive – If you know certain companies where you’d like to work, ask me if I know anyone there who could be helpful for you to know. If you show me a list of 20 sample companies you’re targeting, I bet I’ll think of a few people you should contact. I will probably even be willing to contact them on your behalf. Just ask. And don’t forget to look on LinkedIn to see who works there that is connected to you. Or to see who you know that is connected to someone that works there. Then see if they will make an intro for you.
5. Be generous – Don’t make our conversation completely about you. And  please don’t wait until we’re standing up to leave the coffee shop to ask, “Is there anything I can do for you?” Ask me what kinds of clients and companies I like to work with and if there are introductions you can make for me. Or look for another way to help me or my family.
6. Be patient and positive – If you’re overly stressed and feeling hopeless, this will spill over when you talk with others. I’m not saying to fake it. But do what you need to do to deal with the emotional valleys of your job search so you don’t sabotage yourself when you meet with me or others.

I really do want to help you find that next job. Keep these tips in mind, and you will help me help you.

Image Credit

Joe Baker is a Partner and Executive Coach with PeopleResults. He also serves on the board of Executive Leaders in Transition Exchange (ELITE), a non-profit organization that helps senior HR and finance leaders find jobs through networking.  You can reach him at jbaker@people-results.com or on Twitter @JoeBakerJr. 

Let’s review all of the reasons for their sacred cow status:

• Good, actionable data on why people are leaving
• Closure for employees
• Risk mitigation for the company
• Goodwill and future employee referrals
• Knighted as “Best Practices” by people who know things

Just like with Performance Management, the intent is good. Those are all valid objectives. Still, there is no evidence that any of those are achieved through the prevalent processes. And most importantly, employees hate them. If they are reviled, then the chances for good, actionable data, closure, and goodwill are nil.

Let’s look at it from the employee view. An HR rep, whom you may have met at your orientation 18 years ago, wants to go over a checklist and ask some questions about why you’re leaving. She’s taking notes. Suspicious.

As an employee, I’m wondering why no one bothered to ask me these questions over the past 18 years. It’s a little insulting to be asked why I’m leaving for the sake of good data and action planning. Is the implication that I was expendable, but heaven forbid anyone else ever fall victim to a bad manager and lack of recognition? She’s taking notes, so I’m sure not going to say what I really think, if I know what’s good for me. It’s my last day and all they want is my badge and to squeeze information out of me. Where’s my good-bye cake?

Instead of an exit interview – how about an exit conversation? It’s not the idea that’s broken, it’s the focus. If you haven’t been asking your employees why they stay and what would keep them at least once a year, you’ve missed the point. Then an exit interview is just an awkward gesture of too little, too late. Nobody’s reason for leaving should ever be a surprise. If you want the data, use an exit survey that is confidential and preferably after they have left and had proper time to reflect. But only do this if you are actually going to take action on the data provided.

The exit conversation should not be conducted by HR. The exit check-out process and benefits information can be cold and clinical and handled by HR, but the conversation should be with someone of consequence in that employee’s career. There is nothing sadder than handing in your badge and computer and walking out the door unnoticed.

So, if the exit conversation is not about the data and not about the check-out process, it needs to be about the employee and their contribution – a thank you, a celebration, an acknowledgment; a chance to reflect and offer feedback.

Now that doesn’t sound so worthless, does it?

Barbara Milhizer believes in making it a GOOD-bye. She is a Partner with PeopleResults. You can reach her at  bmilhizer@people-results.com or on twitter @mother_zen. Sign up to receive her and her colleagues’ blog at Current.

As James Rivington writes in Techradar’s “Google Glass: What You Need to Know”, Google Glass is defined as:

an attempt to free data from desktop computers and portable devices like phones and tablets, and place it right in front of your eyes.

Essentially, Google Glass is a camera, display, touchpad, battery and microphone built into spectacle frames so that you can perch a display in your field of vision, film, take pictures, search and translate on the go.

Are you ready for Google Glass?

In the recent Saturday Night Live skit, tech correspondant Randall Meeks, (played by Fred Armisen) hilariously demonstrates the upsides and downsides of Google Glass.

It’s hard to envision people blinking, gesturing or using voice commands as they interact with their eyewear.

For most of us, our knee-jerk reaction to Google Glass is “not for me” or “how ridiculous”. It’s an understandable response. We’re asking our brains to imagine the unimaginable.

Habitual Resistance

But as quickly as we roll our eyes to the absurdity of Google Glass, we might also be creating a state of unconscious and habitual resistance.

Habitual resistance sneaks into our thoughts, our language and our mindset.

•  “We can’t afford to invest there.”
• “That doesn’t fit within our mission.”
• “Our Board of Directors will never go for that.”
• “This technology is fine, it just needs a few bandaids.”
• “Let’s wait and see what happens.”

Habitual resistance is insidious and dangerous. Especially for leaders.

Because when leaders get too comfortable with the status quo, they become stale.

The Danger of Playing it Too Safe

Bad things happen to stale leaders (and their stale organizations).

• Stale leaders miss opportunities.
• Stale leaders are too scared to fail.
• Stale leaders don’t listen.
• Stale leaders squash innovation.
• Stale leaders get blindsided.
• Stale leaders don’t attract or retain talent.
• Stale leaders don’t stretch.
• Stale leaders leave behind stale organizations.

Great leaders constructively challenge but allow themselves to stay open and imagine the unimaginable. They are receptive to the possibilities, the what-ifs and could-bes.

Who knows. In a few years, sporting wearable technology like Google Glass might be as common as earbuds are today. Or, Google Glass could turn out to be the next Segway and a total bust.

But no one will say that Google played it safe.

Marta Steele is a Partner and Community Manager at PeopleResults. Connect with her on Twitter @MartaSteele or through email at msteele@people-results.com.

Google Glass image credit

Stale Bread image credit

That’s right…it makes for a dull person. Not only that, research shows that being “dull” may be the least of problems. You are also missing out on some great health benefits.

Our minds and bodies suffer from stress due to the pace and demands of daily life. In my coaching practice, this is a common issue that arises when working with executives. I have them do an exercise where I ask them a simple question, “What do you do FOR yourself to recharge?”

I’m no longer surprised when the response I get is…”I don’t know. Nothing really.” (said as they get this blank stare, shake their head and slump in their chair.)

Really?

And I think – What a waste. This is such a smart, talented person. Do they realize what they’re missing?

I understand how it happens. People have demanding jobs, often have family responsibilities and they feel guilty for taking time for themselves. Their “leisure time” is now focused on their kid’s sporting events, family & household obligations, doing work in the evenings & weekends in an effort to catch up, or simply crashing after dinner because they have nothing left in the tank.

Studies show that if we don’t take time to care for ourselves, we won’t be able to live a productive, fulfilling life, much less be around to take care of others we love.

Here are a few specific reasons to find interests outside of work and begin enjoying the benefits:

1. Various types of exercise, like playing tennis, basketball, hike, bike, etc…offer clear health benefits in reducing stress, toning muscle and improving overall physical fitness.  Here’s a bonus –  it also helps keep your mind more alert & sharp! Thinking on your feet, coming up with winning strategies and managing the whole eye-hand coordination thing takes brain power!
2. Enjoying a hobby offers a time to relax and divert your attention away from work and chores. Instead of focusing on problems, issues and your to-do list, you can escape the daily grind by focusing on something else. This precious time away from “work” allows you to re-charge and re-engage in work with new-found energy.
3. Your outside interests often enable you to gain new skills and tap into hidden talents. For example, Sudoku, card games or chess can sharpen your analytical skills. Your creativity skills can be nurtured through gardening, reading, singing, drawing, painting or even just playing Pictionary.
4. Getting involved in activities outside work offers opportunities to meet new people, who are often like-minded. If you share an interest in a hobby, chances are you will have other common interests. In meeting new people, you also are more likely to enjoy new experiences, which will give you more interesting things to talk about…the opposite of “dull”.

I’ve seen it happen time and time again in working with my clients, (and from personal experience), finding ways to do something FOR yourself, is a great way to boost confidence,  ignite passion, promote pleasure in daily living and gain a sense of accomplishment.

My challenge to you is to find time EVERYDAY to do something for yourself! I know, I know…”I don’t have time to do that everyday!” My response – you make time for what’s important.  This IS important. Plus, everyone around you will benefit from the benefits you’ll receive.

Come on – you’re worth it!

Martha Duesterhoft is a Partner with PeopleResults.  Follow her on Twitter @mduesterhoft or connect via email at mduesterhoft@people-results.com.

I guess that sounds a little like teaching. But maybe you’re not the best person to teach your employees everything?

Maybe you also have a responsibility to provide an opportunity for them to learn from others and in other situations too. If you’re fortunate enough to work in a company that formalizes some of these approaches for your employees, great.

If not, step up.

Programs such as these can increase employee satisfaction and improve retention.

1) Mentoring

Introduce your employees to others. Encourage your employees to find mentors, both within and outside your company. Mentors can provide a wealth of knowledge and experience for your employees and help them build their network. This is a great way to bring new insights and fresh perspectives into your organization.

2) Shadow Others

Match your employees up with someone that they can shadow for a day (or longer if it makes sense). This can be someone with a related job, or an area that they are interested in learning more about. You can also use this to help them understand what it might be like at different levels of the company. I know of a CIO in one company that regularly selects employees to go with her into key leadership meetings. Watching others “walk the walk” can accomplish more in a couple of hours than a whole host of training programs.

3) Brown Bag It

Create a Brown Bag Lunch series to foster informal training. And encourage your employees to be the ones leading the sessions. It’s a great way to get everyone involved and learning from each other. This can often create a broader understanding of what everyone does and how what they do benefits everyone in the group… and ultimately your customers / guests / stakeholders.

4) Join Industry Associations / Trade Groups

Encourage your employees to join Industry Associations or Trade Groups. They can be good opportunities for learning what others in your industry are doing and are a great way to keep up with the latest trends and changes in your industry. It’s also a nice way to meet local speakers. These groups also often offer great training opportunities that can be low-cost.

5) Formal Training

Last, but not least, make sure that your employees take the time to take all the training that their job requires and support their ongoing education efforts. If you have a budget for outside training programs, make sure that your employees use it!

…But Kirsten, you say, if I give my employees all this exposure, everyone will poach them right out from under me! Maybe. But I guarantee that if you develop a reputation for encouraging, mentoring and developing your people, you’ll have a line out the door of others who want to come work for you.

Until next time … wishing you business readiness success!

Kirsten Jordan is a Partner at PeopleResults. She can be reached on Twitter @Kirstenkbdb. Sign up to receive her and her colleagues’ blog at Current.

In 2013+ we all must have the mindset of life-long learners. A given degree, whether from high school, an undergraduate degree, or a prestigious MBA, provides an important milestone in the learning journey, but by no means a landing point. Most companies offer internal (and external) opportunities to build technical and/or functional skills, as well as leadership skills. Formal education serves as the launching point, not the ending point for the learning.

Here is a real life example…A gentleman in the training class I helped facilitate for a client last week works in a technical training center. Let’s call him Bob (not his real name). Bob helps others build skills to enhance their career within his company.

Bob is new to this role at the technical training center for his company. At first, he described his role as an instructor. But as our leadership training progressed last week, Bob’s mindset changed. He realized he should view his role as a facilitator of learning. This may sound subtle, but it is actually very meaningful.

Here’s why:

• An instructor holds all the knowledge, ready to impart it to class participants. A facilitator of learning guides participants through the process and draws learning experiences out from the participants along the way.
• An instructor feels pressure to have all the answers to every question. A facilitator of learning leverages the collective knowledge and experience from everyone in the class. He/she realizes the answer to a question could come from anyone in the room with equal credibility.
• An instructor mindset often influences through authority. A facilitator of learning mindset often influences by focusing on the needs of others.

I encourage everyone reading this to stop for a few minutes and take inventory. Where might you need to change your mindset? Where are you making assumptions that need revisiting? Where do you need to put into practice your skills as a life-long learner and learn some more about yourself?

As you congratulate the graduates in your life, take pause and think about where you are on your own learning journey.

Betsy Winkler is Partner at People Results. She can be reached on Twitter @BetsyWinkler1 or on email at bwinkler@people-results.com. Sign up to receive her and her colleagues’ blog at Current.

Well, it may not solve everything, but stop and think about how complexity gets in the way of so much of what we do. Organizations are confusing, strategies are misunderstood and the customer experience is disjointed.

It turns out that simplicity is hard. It’s easier to bolt on the new technology to the old version, add four more slides to the 72 page slide deck and narrow down to the top 25 critical initiatives for 2013. Finding the simple truth is difficult and so we punt.

Simplicity takes clarity, honesty, unbelievable discipline and intelligence. Any one of these alone can stop us dead in our tracks – much less all together. It often takes more than one person to achieve simplicity. And, oh by the way, we have a deadline.

There are little examples of how we miss simplicity every day. The leader that talks for 90 minutes about the new strategy, yet no one knows exactly what he just said. The process that is so confusing the customer can never reach the right person to solve her problem.  The 10 page performance feedback document, yet at the end the employee has to ask, ‘so how did I do this year?’

Simplicity Takes Empathy.

In my quest to embrace simple, I picked up a new book by Siegel and Etzkorn, “Simple: Conquering the Crisis of Complexity.” I recommend it.

Siegel and Etzkorn believe there are three key principles of simplicity:

• Empathize: understand others’ needs and expectations
• Distill: boil down and customize what’s being offered to meet needs
• Clarify: make the offering easier to understand, use and benefit

You have to empathize to achieve simplicity. I read this three times. Distill and clarify were more intuitive, but empathize made me connect two important ideals I had never connected before.  You can’t realize simplicity if you don’t empathize with your audience.

The best task force survey or detailed process analysis isn’t enough. You need empathy to realize simplicity.

This is why Steve Jobs simplified how we listen to music and acquire it and we followed. And, he never held a focus group to ask customers what features they wanted. He was a minimalist who went for simple, not simplified.

Our roadblocks to simplicity.

In addition to just being easier, complexity makes us feel smarter.  If Joe has to explain his complex process two to three times to the team, he looks smarter! He is valued and important!

As a consultant, I can say confidently that some of the “best practice” thinking in organizations today was built with a heavy influence from consultants and experts who added complexity. And, oh by the way, the side benefit was to sell more services.  (See competency models.)

Silos – which are alive and well in business – perpetuate the complexity. While each silo is busy getting “better” (and more complex) the overall business process, purpose and experience has lost a clear, simple purpose to the end user or customer.

What can we do?

If we have a complexity crisis, what can we do about it? We can be the advocates for going “back to the basics” on what is really needed and only adding to it when it must be done.  We can be the simplicity champions searching for answers to:

• What’s the real purpose?
•  How do our customers/audience experience us and how can we simply meet their needs?
• Why do we need it?
• What is the simplest way we can do this?
•  How can we get a fresh perspective to be sure we have the simplest approach?
• How can I say this in simpler language?

Our work, organizations and connection to our audience and customer can be so improved with a passion for simplicity.  I’m for making it the universal core value. It’s that important.

And when you think simple is for simple minds, I’ll quote, Siegel and Etzkorn, “Simple is smart.”

Patti Johnson is the CEO of PeopleResults and can be followed on twitter @pattibjohnson or her company @people_results.

We’ve all been caught unaware by a venter – cornered after a meeting or held hostage as a call was wrapping up. The conversation started out so innocently and then turned into a harangue of unrelated complaints and issues without solutions. Short of teleportation, here are 3 easy tips to take someone from destructive to constructive.

1. Limited Time Offer

Set the timer and let them go for 2 minutes. Usually, the ranter is feeling unheard and sees you as a willing listener.  When the tear ceases to be fun for you, the listener, interject that you hear and appreciate his concerns.

2. Keep them on the Hook

As much as they want someone to listen, the venter is also actively seeking a host who will own the issue. After initially disarming the barrage with step 1, put the onus squarely back where it belongs by asking questions:

• How have you raised these concerns?
• What was the result?
• What do you think the solution is?
• What steps do you need to take to get some resolution?

 3. Actively Seek them Out

I’m serious. Engaging a venter and asking about his situation stuns and confuses them. Save some other poor soul the trouble and ask what resolution was reached next time you see the venter. Once he sees you as expecting action, not just a potential recipient of verbal spew, he’ll either wisely move along or you’ll spur some thoughts about how to take action. It’s a win either way.

Barbara Milhizer is a proponent of constructive venting. She is a Partner with PeopleResults. You can reach her at  bmilhizer@people-results.com or on twitter @mother_zen. Sign up to receive her and her colleagues’ blog at Current.