How are your HR hiring practices? Friday Funny.

So what are your hiring practices like -  

Do you look for the cheapest option/person available at the time of hire? 

Do you assume that you can 'fix' someone or school them?

Do you even speak the same language?  Management language? Sense of humour language?

Do you let employees know what is expected of them?

How do you correct employees if they are doing it wrong?

And if you do hire someone what options do you have to get rid of them if they don't work out?

Remember - if you pay peanuts, you'll get monkeys! 

Ever wondered what business school looks like?

I completed my Post Graduate Diploma in Management Studies with Waikato University in 2010.  People ask me what was it like and would I recommend it.  Watch this short video and then I will give some ansers -

What was it like - exactly like the video.  There was a very diverse and wide range of people put together in one classroom and given the task of producing quality business outcomes using their knowledge and skills.

We had doctors, accountants, lawyers, people in education all the way through to retail managers.  So as you can probably tell - it was a pretty diverse group of people.  Lots of opinions, points of view and heated discussion for sure!

The best bits of our course had to be the case study discussions.  We would spend hours poring over the case studies looking for different angles and possibilities.  Always on the hunt for the right answer or a knowledge advantage over everyone else.

Working in groups certainly had it's fair share of trials and tribulations but at the same time the value added through interaction was totally invaluable.

The other best part were the tutors.  We were fortunate enough to have Jens Mueller who is a total inspiration and motivator.  Jens has diverse experience and his constant mission was to stretch the students and question the boundaries they have established in their minds.  And he did it!

I actually miss the cut and thrust of the discussions and the fabulous input of the teachers (although my wife doesn't miss me disappearing for study nights and classes on the weekends, not to mention the endless hours of essay writing and revision). 

So - yes, I do totally recommend it.  100%.

Personal Learning Networks

No man is an island.  And no man (or woman for that fact) knows all that there is to know about the world.  So how do intelligent people keep in touch with what is happening in the world in regards to evolving innovation, trends and happenings?

Teachers/educationalists have a framework called a Personal Learning Network (PLN).  Basically what happens is a learner (in this case - you) plug in to a bunch of media sources and then start engaging and learning from others.  What a PLN does is provide a structure for the learner to understand how each media source fits in to the overall learning pattern.

While the PLN idea is usually used by educators it is relevant for anyone and everyone who wants to learn and continue to expand their learning and their worldview in the modern world.

This presentation here explains how it works -

Creating an Online Personal Learning Network

- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Supporting Others in Their Quest

Helping others to achieve both the thinkable and the unthinkable in their careers or their lives is an important facet within the role of the manager.  Having other people move up through the organisational ranks and start fulfilling their potential is a very rewarding experience.

What happened recently was I spotted a learning/professional development  opportunity.  As soon as I saw what was entailed and the relevancy of the content I instantly thought of a fellow employee whom I thought would enjoy the conference as well.

So there were a few key opportunities that I saw and pounced on that enabled my colleague to get the most out of the time we had while attending.  Here are those times -

• In the car.  When you are travelling you have a captive audience.  It's not like they can go anywhere.  Before we left I thought of things to talk about such as career development and goals, as well as a number of commendations and recommendations.  In the car - there isn't much time to  think about anything else.
• During the breaks - those we know.  Others from our larger organisation were also in attendance yet the person I travelled with didn't register that he knew those people.  So what I did was have an offline conversation and actually set the two on a path towards each other that was mutually beneficial.  The outcome was that both sides have decided to co-operate more on specific projects and to continue the development long after the conference has finished.
• During the breaks - those we don't.  I am a people person.  I have no problem with talking to others.  So one thing I always attempt to do while at conferences is meet others whom I can commend and recommend to my work colleagues.  I look for SME's (subject matter experts) and set them up with people I know who need help in those areas.  So I effectively do is become like the Yellow Pages and provide links between people with a need and those who can provide a solution.

Every minute of the day gives us opportunities.  What we do with each minute is our choice.  We can choose to embrace the time we have or watch it sail by.  I prefer to invest my time.  Invest in myself and my development as well as the development for others.

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjm/132988654/)

The Value of a Great Conference

Every so often employers give their employees the chance to attend conferences as professional development options.  Now, not all conferences are created equal.  Conferences are what you make of them.  Some are brilliant while others can be pretty poor.  It all comes down to you.

1. Keynote speakers.  These are the people that conference organisers invite along to fill the role of superstar.  Look for speakers that are proven and have a track record. 
2. Network, network, network.  Be bold and talk to people.  Approach them before they approach you.  Look for common ground and similar interests.  Ask their opinion on matters.  You never know who you might be sitting next to.
3. Plan ahead.  Think in advance about what you want to get out of the conference.  Write down some objectives and goals for learning.  Then structure your time so that you achieve those goals and can take home something useful.  Read the overviews and biographies of presenters, think of questions beforehand that you can ask.  Just plan.

Conferences can be fun and exciting.  Couple that with the chance to learn and implement new ideas - there you have the perfect professional development opportunity.

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/purrr/126597849/)

Heroes

Everybody needs either a hero or someone to look up to.  A hero is someone who you can learn from, imitate, copy or mimic.  None of these behaviors by itself is a bad thing.  Rather by modelling your behavior and approach on someone elses approach can actually be beneficial.

Here are a few of my heroes and the reasons why.

• Richard Branson  The ability to never accept impossible as an option coupled with the ability to seize opportunities that other people just can't see.  Awesome.
• H Norman Schwarzkopf.  the king of organisation.  No nonsense and no mucking around.  One of the truly great project managers of all time.
• Hillary Clinton.  A combination of skill, personality and persuasive powers make Mrs Clinton a very respected and capable leader in my boooks.

Who are your heroes?

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleyrosex/2861690380/)

Development or Compliance?

Learning to do work tasks better = job training.

Learning new skills, becoming a better person,  meeting new people = professional development.

Don't confuse the two.

Swiss Army Knife - Management Lessons Intro.

What is old yet hasn't aged, has hardly changed since it's conception, is an essential item for Boy Scouts and was made popular in a TV program?

After posting a photo of a Swiss Army Knife it got me thinking. Could I use the army knife with it's many tools, facets and quirks as an analogy and an illustration for managers.

The answer? Yes. Yes I can. (LOL)

In order to appreciate the knife we must first understand it's history and where it has come from. Here are some facts about the knife -

• The knife is 125 years old. Great designs, functionality and usefulness make the knife an essential item.


• The knife was originally designed to provide soldiers with - a knife, a can opener, a reamer and a corkscrew. These tools enabled to the soldiers to complete a wide variety of tasks including the assembly of their weapons.


• There are five main variations on the original model.


• MacGyver made the knife glamorous by showing off it's usefulness while trying to get out of many a sticky situation.

So what can we learn/apply so far?

• Usefulness and adaptability lasts. If you are useful and can adapt to different situations - you will always be in hot demand. The ability to apply yourself in arrange of ways is the best trait to have!


• Train and gain competence and expertise in about four or five different areas. Those areas can be overlapping or poles apart. The main thing is to make sure you have a range of skills and not just one skill.


• There are basic skills and competencies that can be carried over across all managers and managerial positions. Find out what those are and work on them.


• Situations that allow you to apply your skills practically is a good thing. MacGyver was always getting himself into sticky situations. What did he do? Every time he went back to basics and used the tools he had to change his situation.

Keep reading the blog as I work my through the basic elements of design and functionality of the knife. Learn with me lessons on management and managing that you can apply now!

Talent - what do you do with it?

Every employee you have and person you know has a particular talent and tons of potential. The key is to figure out - what is that talent and how do you make the most of it?

Talented people generally are on the move (either upwards or sideways) and think they know where they are going. What you need as a manager to do is to provide a balance between untried ambition and actual skill. Provide a balance between new challenges and the development of new skills as well as the refinement and strengthening of current skills. Getting the balance between the two is hard - but the results are also very rewarding both for your business and the person concerned.

The other idea is to make every employee a CEO of something. Make them completely responsible for an idea or project. Give them a budget, authority and the right amount of support to make it happen.

Talented employees also need feedback and reflection time. The reviewing of KPI's and goals is a powerful motivator. Keep the KPI's short and aggressive. By doing this you, the manager, keeps close to the talent and you can gauge their growth. Where growth is quick - you can set higher targets and more complex problems. Where growth is slower - this provides a good time for both you and the talent to catch a breather before proceeding.

Note - not all talent is under 30! Some of the most talented people you have are over 30, settled into their jobs and are quite possibly bored. the mission is to identify them, lure them out of their secure place and unleash their hidden skills on the world!

Job Currency

Cur·ren·cy (n. pl. cur·ren·cies )

1. Money in any form when in actual use as a medium of exchange, especially circulating paper money.
2. Transmission from person to person as a medium of exchange.
3. General acceptance or use; prevalence.
4. The state of being current; up-to-dateness.

How do you rate yourself in terms of currency?

Are you worth what you are being paid or should you be receiving more?

To get the most out of your working life -

• Know what you are worth. If you don't know - ask someone who does.


• Don't settle for less than your true value (unless you choose to)


• Don't think you are worth more than you really are. Be realistic.


• Remember - money isn't everything.


• Change grow and keep up to date.

Stay current and currency will follow!

Grow Your Own Leaders

Dr Emma Parry from the Cranfield University School of Management published a research paper that found - company's who invest into their own staff to create leaders and unleash their employees potential do better.

Here are a few interesting points of view of the managers interviewed from the published paper:

• it is better to grow your own employees than hire in,
• developing your own staff is a cheaper option than hiring in,
• staff retention and motivation increase when current employees are nurtured,
• it is a cheaper option to nurture your own employees.

(Source: Nurturing Talent, A Research Project by Dr Emma Parry, October 2008).

Staff development is one of the key areas for businesses to become strong, maintain their position and to move on and grow.

Another finding was that internal candidates may not always be the best choice though.

My personal view is -

• When a middle management sized position becomes open - it is best to promote from within. Keep the knowledge and experience and move it up.
• When a specialised or senior management position opens up - it is better to recruit from external sources.

External persons bring fresh perspective, new energy and different motivations.

Professional Development

One of the interesting points that came out of one of the talks at the ATEM conference was around professional development (PD).

Should PD always be linked directly to achieving the workplaces business goals? That is where does training end and development begin?

A number of organisations blur the lines between the two. One great story was about a manager who encouraged their person to engage in raranga (weaving). Through this practise the person became more relaxed in the workplace and then their work rate and quality improved.

This semester I have decided to do a course in creative writing, particularly poetry in the second half. Will this directly change or improve my performance towards the business goals? Maybe - but indirectly.

As managers we need to be aware of people's needs at the time, and maybe not doing formal study, such as a diploma, is as valuable to a person. However through them doing study that engages them on different levels - that may be of more value and worth, primarily to them, and then on to us as an organisation.

Here is a poem I coined to begin the course with -

The Urge.

And so it begins, the urge to write,
But do we begin, no that can't be right,
And so the tutor says - don't start just wait,
And I sit here musing, restless, going stagnate

Bring on week two, with pencil and pen,
Maybe I'll start, maybe begin,
In the meantime, I'll muse and I'll dream
Of stories well written, and eclairs filled with cream.