What drives someone to wear a t-shirt like this to a shuttle launch? Just lost his job? Wishes he could retire and play video games all day? Is he a rebel at work and proud of it? Or is it some inside joke and I’ll never know the answer. Who knows – and I wasn’t going to ask him that question at 4am while waiting to get on a bus.

In a past life, (and early in my career), I was part of a management team that got together each month to nominate and select an “Employee of the Month”. Our senior leader would sit in on these meetings and he would snicker or make snide comments about the nominees. Well, that is until he made a snide comment about one of MY employees. By then I was fed up and proceeded to say “If you’re going to make fun of everyone that we nominate, why the (insert an “F-bomb” here) do we keep doing this”??? Clearly this was unprofessional so I went back into his office afterwards and apologized – for the “F-bomb” and for doing it in front of everyone else – but NOT for what I said! He didn’t do it again, mission accomplished.

So do we really need an “Employee of the Month”? Does it really accomplish anything? Or should we perhaps consider looking at the little things that we can do to show our appreciation every day. For instance; as I begin to work with folks who have been transitioned out of their organizations, I’ll confirm the information I’ve been given; spelling of their name, address, e-mail etc. and very often I have incorrect information. When the person tells me that they tried for months (or years) to get the spelling of their name or their home address corrected, it saddens me to think that the outplacement rep is the one that FINALLY got their information right.

For every “Employee of the Month”, I guarantee that you have folks who feel like the guy in the picture. “Employee engagement” isn’t about plaques, awards and other dust collectors – it’s about appreciating employees for who they are and treating them as you expect to be treated. Give folks the opportunity to have their say without fear of retaliation (and not just the rock stars). Find ways to encourage the introverts in your organization to give feedback. Care about what they have to say, implement their ideas, get them involved in the process; help them grow! Who knows, you just might find out that you‘ve been misspelling their name for the last 3 years too.

It’s a new year and as most of you are probably doing right now, I’m reflecting back to 2012, what I could have done better and what I intend to do (As Steve Browne says in his most recent great blog post) in 2013.

In my working life, I have the privilege of working with job seekers – those whose jobs have been eliminated for one reason or another. So naturally I think about them – did I make an impact? Did I make a difference?

One month ago today, I was on-site at a customer’s corporate location, stationed in a small office waiting to speak with employees who were being notified that their jobs were being eliminated. The clock is ticking loudly in the background, about as loudly as I imagine my heart sounds as it beats furiously, waiting for the next person to enter the room. Oh I know WHO it is, (we’ve got a schedule of course) but how will the news impact this person’s life and will I do and say the right thing? There is no script. No cookie cutter approach. How can there be? You’re dealing with different generations; folks who are at different stages of their career – and they are either mad as hell, very sad or acting as though they could care less.

Everyone has a story.

Perhaps it is a single Mom who is the sole provider for her family or the employee who has been there for over 20 years and “didn’t see it coming”. I could get lucky of course and it could just be the guy who is nearly dancing in his seat because he’s already found a job and was going to give notice soon anyway (cha-ching he’s loving the severance).  You just don’t know.

When we are there on-site during “notifications”, we’re usually the first person that the employee talks to after they have been given the “news”. We’re there to provide support and guide them through the transition. This is a role I do not take lightly and it’s probably the most important thing I do all year long. If I have the chance, I tell them that it’s happened to me…three times. And if I think it might make them feel better, I’ll tell them it happened after I sold my house and moved a mile and a half away from my office after commuting 45 miles each way for 8 years. I say it’s ok if they want to laugh (and they usually do).

So whose life will YOU impact the most in 2013? When creating your list of resolutions intentions, keep in mind the people who YOU will impact the most this year. Will you give them 110%? What can you do better? There’s no time like the New Year to make changes if necessary.

I wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

When First Sgt. Matt Eversmann spoke at the inaugural HR Florida Leadership Summit held this month in Bonita Springs, he asked the group of senior Human Resources executives in the audience if they were ready for the strategic shock that is coming. “Will we lead the way? Will we be courageous”?

This article posted last year showed veteran unemployment rates to be staggering, so with thousands more returning from Afghanistan over the next couple of years, our brave men and women who come home will surely face some challenges to get reestablished and gainfully employed.

An article posted by MSNBC: younger veterans want to work but face roadblocks , brought to mind a story that a friend shared with me several weeks back. Her son spent time in the army (in Afghanistan) and had a recent run in interview with a publicly traded company here in South Florida. Some of the questions and comments from Mr. Interviewer look something like this:

•  ”Saw your resume and we called you because of (xyz college), but I don’t understand why you bothered getting a masters”?
•  “You went for your masters after the army for more opportunity….good because the Army doesn’t do much for your chances.”
•  “So, if you are top of your class and researched areas you wanted to work before you graduated, why is it you’re still jobless? Is there a problem with you?”

Then Mr. Interviewer proceeds to talk on his cell phone during the meeting while two other people interview him. And for you HR folks about ready to throw your fist through the computer you’ll be happy to know that Mr. Interviewer was NOT in HR, he was the CIO. Scary isn’t it?

They fought for our freedom – don’t make them fight for a job too.

My friend’s son said the interviewer made him feel “horrible” for not having a job 1.5 months after graduating and that they would need to offer him “a lot of money to work under this guy”. It turns out that the position had been open for months and to quote my friend “it’s hard to believe someone in a position as CIO has no class or courtesy”.

So to help these brave men and women returning, not only do we need to consider developing a plan for military hiring (if we don’t already have one) – we need to have a word with our hiring managers and provide guidance on what to say (and what NOT to say) when we’re interviewing them. If you need some resources for developing the plan, take a look at this recent post by HR Bartender.

And if you’re wondering what happened to my friend’s son, I’m happy to say that he landed a job – a dream job at that.

It’s hard to believe that we are celebrating the 2nd day of the New Year already. 2011 flew by and every year it seems to go faster (insert a big sigh here).

Typically this is the time where we look back and reflect on where we are in life; what we accomplished, what we didn’t accomplish and (shudder) sometimes we allow our old friend “regret” to wander into our path and knock us off balance, kicking our self-esteem into the proverbial toilet. The other day my horoscope said “what if the failure that you’re afraid of becomes the best thing that’s ever happened to you?” Hmmmm…I think I’m going to carry this with me throughout 2012 and beyond.

NO REGRETS.

So instead of making some lame resolutions that we may not keep anyway, let’s take a look at what we did accomplish and celebrate those today. Don’t give much thought to it; just throw out the first 4 things that come to mind. For me it looks something like this:

1. Early last year I attended a local HR event that probably changed my life to a certain degree. Hearing the HR Director from NASA speak at that meeting opened my eyes to how cool space can be and how wonderful the “space geeks” community is. I witnessed the final space shuttle – STS-135 launch from the causeway (about as close as you can get unless you’re a VIP) and then was honored to be selected to attend the #NASATweetup for the MSL launch. At this event (held during the Thanksgiving holiday), I met Bill Nye “the Science Guy”, astronauts and saw Will.i.am speak about his passion for pushing kids to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields of research. I instantly became a part of the #NASATweetup alumni – a passionate group of folks who welcome you with open arms and allow you to be as nerdy as you want (space “tweeps” wouldn’t laugh at the “Rover Xing” sign on my car). Highlights of this event include: the Atlas 5 rocket launch from about 3 ½ miles away, the tour of the launch pad the day before – standing 4 feet from the fence (or else), a tour inside the VAB where space shuttle Endeavour is being spruced up for her retirement and last but not least #occupycrackerbarrel. Don’t ask.
2. I attended HRevolution in April, and though I didn’t make as many connections as I had hoped, it was a great event that took me out of my comfort zone big time since I really didn’t know many of the attendees. I am looking forward to possibly attending this year’s event and doing a better job of making more friends.
3. In addition to growing my consulting business and having the privilege of helping some wonderful organizations recruit top talent; I managed to land a part-time job which allows me to help people who have been transitioned out of their organizations. Many of these folks have not had to conduct a job search for years, so it’s an honor (and a thrill) when we discuss social media tools they can leverage and they get inspired. Lesson learned from behind the scenes: if you care about your brand, and about your employees (yes even the ones you need to fire), you will provide outplacement service.
4. I will serve as District Director for HR Florida for one more year, and was on cloud nine when I recently learned that the executive committee “unanimously” voted for me to be a part of the communications team.

So what were your accomplishments in 2011? In looking back at my top 4, it wasn’t about the money I made, the things that I bought or the exotic places I’d been to – it was more about how I challenged myself, where I felt accepted unconditionally, or what I could do to help someone else.

That’s my idea of a successful year – how about you?

This post was originally submitted to (and published on) HR Mouth of the South but I wanted to share it here on my blog as well. We’ll miss you Larry!

When you agree to be a volunteer for your local HR association or state council, you hope to become a part of a great team; one that will support your efforts, tell you when you’ve done a great job AND most important – you hope they’ll care enough about you to give you constructive criticism when it’s needed. I have served on the board of four different HR organizations and I have learned (and continue to learn) a lot from my HR mentors and friends.

After serving as the President of EMA (now known as SMA South Florida), I was asked to join the HR Florida State Council as a District Director. Being the “Switzerland of South Florida” as I’ve been called, they felt I’d be able to keep the peace in my district. The chapters were a bit competitive back then – but that competition helped to keep us on our toes.

The competitive spirit that HR folks have was evident during the SHRM Leadership conference that I attended last week in Washington DC. This annual event is hosted by SHRM and 900+ HR volunteers from around the country attended this year. There is the serious business of the Pinnacle Awards that chapters and state councils vie for by submitting their most outstanding achievements and contributions. HR Florida was a finalist and we didn’t win this year, but it sure was fun to wear our matching scarves to the dinner and cross our fingers and toes via Twitter.

An HR volunteer with that same competitive spirit was SMA South Florida’s Past-President Larry Kohn, co-founder of Graymark Security Group and husband to Jackie Kohn (who started the SMA chapter here in South Florida). Larry was the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back. He was also the kind of guy who would challenge you and make you think – even when you didn’t want to. If you told Larry that the sky was blue, he’d turn it into a lesson about the color wheel and make you figure out what SHADE of blue it really was so you’d know for the next time.

Less than 2 years ago, Larry found out he had cancer. At first he wasn’t going to submit to any treatments because he didn’t want to be a burden to his family; maybe deep down inside, he knew this was one battle he wasn’t going to win. But Larry was one of us – an HR volunteer. He was going to fight until he could fight no more. And just like a true HR pro, he looked out for everyone else and made sure those around him were taken care of first. He did it with dignity, he did it with class. He even made sure that the Publix Pharmacy received flowers the day after he passed away, which was on November 8^th.

There is no doubt that it’s important that we stay on top of our game and stay competitive – but winning isn’t everything. When all is said and done, what’s important is how we played the game; how we made people feel, what we contributed without expecting in return. That in my opinion is the true meaning of winning.    

Last week at this time I was doing microphone duty in one of the final live feed sessions at the ERE conference which was down here in Hollywood, Florida at the Westin Diplomat. I won’t go into what I thought about the sessions (they were awesome) and to quote an HR friend of mine who had never attended ERE before “wow the content here is very different”! There are lots of great posts written about the event, such as this post from #hirefriday Margo Rose, so allow me to move on and address something entirely different.

As I was leaving the venue parking garage, I saw 4 ladies in their uniforms – ladies who were probably a part of the hard working folks who work behind the scenes in the hotel’s housekeeping and laundry division. They were smiling and laughing (perhaps trading tales about the crazy things they saw in one of our rooms that day) hmmm? And all 4 of them were proudly sporting ERE bags. Not holding them in their hands mind you, they were wearing them on their shoulders. I wanted to take a picture to document the event, but I wasn’t fast enough and I was being honked at by the guy behind me.

Everyone wants to feel appreciated.

Most of us would cringe at the thought of cleaning a stranger’s room, yet every time you stay in a hotel, someone has done just that. Did you know that it’s customary to tip the housekeeper? I have a friend who never knew that until she shared a room with me. Now she tips even better than I do – glad I could help the cause.

In addition to a tip (providing they have done their job of course), on the last day I leave a handwritten note that simply says “thank-you”! If I picked up a stuffed animal or something useful from the exhibit hall that I think they might appreciate, I leave that too. Maybe one of their grandchildren would like that BountyJobs.com pony right?

Another thing I try to do is say “Hello” as I am passing the employees in the hallway. There’s nothing better than a shy smile and soft “Hello” back from someone who is used to being ignored.

So the next HR conference that YOU attend, think about how you can make someone’s day just a little brighter. They might even bring you extra lotion or two.

When my friend Sharlyn Lauby (the HR Bartender) challenged several of us with the task of writing a blog post titled “a letter to my younger self” to be posted today, August 25^th – I thought this would be a GREAT idea. Sounded like fun even! Then reality hit. The story of my younger self could be the ideal script for a dramatic made-for-tv movie (or at the very least, a very bad sit-com). Not going to go there.

Instead, the letter to my younger self reads like this:

Dear Debbie,

I am writing today to say “thank-you”. You are about to make several very wise decisions in your life, many which will take a lot of courage. You’ve always been a fighter, and you refuse to fail. I like that about you so keep it up.

A huge turning point in your life (and career) will be when you answer a newspaper ad that asks for someone who can work independently and think fast think on their feet. This is your chance to break into the recruiting and staffing world. Now, I know you don’t have a lot of experience – but you walk into that company like you own the joint (even though you may not really understand what they do), and when they ask if you have any questions, you brilliantly ask the owner “does this company believe in customer service”? You will see his eyes pop out of his head like a cartoon character. Just don’t let on that you are dead serious when you ask that question, he might think you’re a bit TOO serious.

You’re going to be bored for a little while – but continue to accept the challenges put before you…yes even the one where they put you in charge of that department that seems to do a lot of cool things – because it does.

Some key things I need for you to do:

• As you grow, always remember the people who helped you along the way because there will be A LOT of them.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions or for help – you’re not expected to know everything about everything.
• No matter what your title is, keep it real.
• Roll your sleeves up when you need to, you’re part of a team.
• Stay current, and be curious about new marketing trends.
• Be nice to vendors – you’re going to be one in the future.
• Volunteer. No matter how busy or tired you are, just do it.
• Build your network before you need it.
• Embrace change.

In closing, everything that you do from here on out will contribute to your our success. Thank you for accepting the challenge.    

Love, Me

p.s. lose the perm

I have been watching this brilliant little show called “The Big C” on Showtime since it began last year; I say “little” because each episode is only 25 minutes long, but the storyline and acting is superb and leaves you hungry for more each week.

The main character is Cathy, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Her husband Paul, is a VP level ad executive…well, that is until he was laid off (these days every TV show has its token unemployed person). When Paul is told he no longer has a job, he experiences the typical emotions that most people have when they are downsized; anger, denial, etc.

Medical bills start to pour in and Cathy begins to question him about his job search. Paul gets a bit cocky and over confident (the most dangerous emotion of all for a job seeker IMHO) and tells Cathy that he’s waiting for the right opportunity; he doesn’t want to take a step backwards in his career and everything is going to be ok because he’s having lunch with a friend who is going to give him a job.

Don’t ASSuME.

Reality begins to set in for Paul when his friend offers him a freelance gig instead of a full-time job with benefits. Paul gets really angry, and since he is a bit immature, we worry that his job search might go on forever – but something wonderful happens. In the last scene, we see Paul in a big box electronics store wearing an apron that says “Trainee” on it. As he stands there looking like a nervous teenager who just landed his first job, he reveals to Cathy that he applied 2 hours ago and says this is what he’s going to do while he continues to look for the right job; and best of all, the gig comes with medical insurance. Instead of making Paul feel stupid, she tells him she thinks it’s “awesome”.  In that brief moment, they were both there for each other.        

So who do you need to “step up” for?

Fortunately not every job seeker is faced with such a harsh reality as our characters in “The Big C”, but each one of us is accountable to someone – even if only to ourselves.       

So with that, I’ll share an awesome blog post by Laurie Ruettimann aka “The Cynical Girl”  Do you need a job? Any job?

TGIF.

Andrew Gordon Adams

I used to dread Father’s Day. I’d watch friends and other family members celebrate every year and all I wanted to do was hide under the covers all day. You see, my father chose not to be a part of my life. My mother and father parted ways when I was 3 months old and that was it.

I was luckier than a lot of kids though; I had a birth certificate with his name on it, and I had a few pictures. I also had a small photo album that had several pictures of him as a child; typical photos that young boys have of themselves such as the cowboy hat and pony ride, photos with family members, and I think there is even the obligatory photo with the baseball bat if memory serves me correctly.

As you can see, he was a handsome man….so I often wondered how gracefully he had aged. I wondered about who he ended up marrying, who his children might be – you know, the things that you’d expect someone who never knew their father to wonder.

About 20 years ago, after finding out his social security number through a union he belonged to (something that would NEVER happen in this day and age) I wrote a letter to him and went to the nearest social security office and asked them to forward it. In the letter I promised that I wanted nothing more than to at least communicate with my father once in my lifetime. He had two grandchildren and I wanted to share that with him. I thought maybe, just maybe he was wondering about me too but was afraid to make the first move. I received no response back.

Fantasy vs. Reality.

Fast forward to last year, I managed to briefly communicate with a distant relative of his (who introduced me via e-mail to another relative) and now I know – he never received that letter, he had already passed away by the time it was mailed. He must have passed away just about the time my mother did (who was 50 years young at the time). So the fantasy I had all these years – that perhaps one of my parents led a drama free life came to a crashing halt. Instead, both were troubled souls, unable to deal with what life had to offer.            

So after reading today’s blog post Father’s Day Phone Call & Choice by Ryan Estis, who asked –- “so, how to choose when confronted with those hard 15 minutes”? I choose to send my forgiveness and my love to the father I never knew. I also choose to be proud of myself for being someone who learns from her mistakes, meets challenges head on and manages to land on her feet. No excuses, no blaming others…no matter what.

The irony of it all is that I firmly believe that I inherited my inner strength from my father (and mother). Too bad neither one of them knew that they had it in them all along.

Last week I was at the airport picking up a friend, and I overheard a discussion that two gentlemen were having about a company that is going through a major reorganization. Don’t ask me how, but if there is a discussion about HR going on somewhere within a 20 foot radius, I’ll pick up on it. From what I could gather – the reporting structure and just about everything else was being reorganized in HR because of a recent change in senior level management. This comes as no surprise because typically when someone new joins the “C” suite, status quo no longer exists. Sometimes that’s a GREAT thing, and other times – well, for those who no longer fit in for one reason or another…it’s not so good.

The discussion progressed further and it appeared as though while some of the current employees would not make the cut, they needed to hire at the same time. Names of individuals started to be tossed out for consideration and for one reason or another I kept hearing “no”. My ears really perked up however, when the response to one of the names was a resounding “oh no….the company wants to hire “cool” people. Cool people? Ok now I’m intrigued but feeling slightly guilty that I am eaves dropping forced to listen to this conversation in an airport no less, but I admit that I couldn’t wait to hear more. Of course I sat there trying to decide if I would be “cool” enough for them (pretending of course that I knew exactly what skills, experience and behavioral traits they would be looking for). It’s human nature to question how we stack up against others – we learn how to do that early on in life and I don’t think it ever truly goes away no matter how confident you are.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) – my friend stepped out to the waiting area after a long flight and I didn’t get to hear the rest of the story…but I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. If a company is trying to create a culture of “cool” by hiring “cool” people, how do you go about doing that? Assuming that they understand that you can’t discriminate against race, gender, and age etc. – what criteria WOULD they use? I guess I’ll never know.

So I’ll throw it out to you the readers. If you were charged with hiring “cool” people – what would you do? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Picture from cafepress.com