SHRMingham

Undergrad HR Program at UAB Recognized for Alignment with SHRM’s Curriculum Guidelines

From a press release this week down at UAB:

"On July 21, 2009, the Undergraduate Human Resource Management (HR) Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham was recognized as a program that is in alignment with the Society of Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) curriculum guidelines.  SHRM is the nation’s premier professional organization for human resource management.  This recognition is a result of a strong curriculum, faculty coverage of the appropriate body of knowledge for the profession, and the support of university administrators who are attuned to changes in the business environment.
 
According to Professor Jack Howard, “This is a reflection that the HR Program in the School of Business is a high quality program that prepares its graduates for success in the profession.  While this is a statement of the quality of the program in the School of Business, it also communicates to businesses and organizations that they can hire our graduates with confidence that they are equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to contribute to their organizations from the day that they begin their employment, whether as an intern or a permanent employee”.

What's it mean?  In simpler terms related to the connection with SHRM, Howard indicated in an email exchange that the recognition means the material in the undergrad is consistent with the material presented in the PHR exam, as well as what HR professionals are expected to perform once they enter the profession.

SHRM09 Interview - China Gorman On the State of the SHRM National Conference...

True story - I'm getting ready to talk to China Gorman (SHRM COO) on Tuesday at the SHRM National Conference, and a dude walks up to China and rips off something like this:

什么是伟大的一天!

China said something back in the same language.  Then the dude ripped off something like this:

真实的故事-我正准备跟中国戈尔曼（人力资源管理学会首席运营官）周二在人力资源管理学会全国会议，并猪头各界高达中国和列了这样的!!!

At which point China indicated she didn't speak the language.

So the guy points out her nametag and says words to the effect of "But your name is China, so I...."

Awkward silence.  The guy was dead serious.  Dude, If you're reading this today, you were a super nice guy, but I had to share that story... Duuuuuuude....

ANYWAY, since this was the first SHRM conference I've attended in awhile, I thought I would sit down with China and talk about the state of the Annual SHRM Conference.  The video of our conversation is below and the topics include:

1.  WARMUP - what were China's favorite moments at the SHRM conference in New Orleans?

2.  Welch and Kotter - Those were the two hot speakers this year, how does SHRM intend to keep the business/HR flow going in future years? 

3.  Dave Ramsey - What happened?  Why were so many attendees talking smack?

4.  Why aren't there more pure HR practitioners presenting at the show?

5.  What are the toughest issues SHRM faces in providing a great experience to HR practitioners in the field?

6.  SOFTBALL: What's China's favorite Sheryl Crow song?

7.  Next Year's Music: Can I get a he** yeah for AC/DC?  Or since it's in San Diego, how about some local flavor with a little Blink-182?

Take a look.  Thanks to SHRM for having the HR Capitalist, Fistful of Talent and BSHRM teams out to cover the show.  A trip worth taking... (email subscribers, click through on title for video of interview...)

KD + China Gorman from Fistful of Talent on Vimeo.

Note - I knew as soon as I said it that AC/DC formed in Australia, but I'm steeped in the band's European history, like the fact that Bon Scott died in London... I'm a little surprised that China didn't correct me on that one... Anyway, it'll be good to see the boys in San Diego.  You want a band from down under?  Go find the lead singer from Men at Work...

March Meeting Preview - Why HR Pros Need to Figure out Social Media (Blogs, Twitter, RSS and more...)

I'm the speaker/presenter at the March BSHRM meeting, and guess what - I'M HERE TO HELP.

Just straight talk during the March meeting about a space I play in a lot - social media, which means blogs, twitter, RSS, etc. I'm going to introduce you to the tools and get you started understanding how they fit your HR life.

What I've found in talking to the average HR pro about social media is that usage is very, very low. If you read blogs around the HR and Recruiting professions, you're bleeding edge. I've told this story before, but it's worth repeating - when I asked how many folks knew what a blog was in a fall 2008 presentation, every hand went up.  When I asked how many of the HR pros had read a blog in the past month, only about 5% of the group had.  LinkedIn?  About half the hands went up when I asked who had a LI account.  When I asked how many had invited a colleague to join their LinkedIn network, half of those hands went down.  When I asked how many had used LinkedIn to recruit, one hand in a big group remained in the air.

Guess what?  It's not good enough.  Here's another reason why from William Uranga at Talent Alchemy:

"One of my standard interview questions is “How do you stay current in your profession?”  The response usually includes a mixture of the following: magazines, newspapers, books, associations and conferences.  That is a “good” answer, but it is falling short more and more.

Why?  There continues to be an explosion of new content and sources of content.  In 2006, Google indexed 25 billion web pages.  For recruiting, take RecruitingBlogs.com with almost 15,000 members and that is one of the many cadre of recruiters.  On top of that, how do you cover the content for your marketplace where you recruit, your industry in which you recruit and your skill sets that you recruit?"

William's talking about candidates in general at TiVo, but why should it be different for HR pros?  To his point, the future will bring each HR pro a social media test related to professional development.  One such test is the simple question, "Are you using social media to make yourself better?".  That question might come from an interviewer, or it may come from a new boss (an HR boss or the CEO you work for) as a quick way to measure how current you are, both in your own profession and technology.

If you answer "I belong to national SHRM and go to the local SHRM's lunch meetings", someone in your future isn't going to be impressed, because you're making the minimum investment in your career. 

The day may not be here yet, but the competent HR pro is going to have to know how to use these tools, or they're going to be seen as behind the times and dated.  Both externally (recruiting) and internally (multiple uses for engagement, retention, etc.), the tools are going to be as ubiquitous as Outlook.  The only question is how quickly that critical mass hits. 

Don't be roadkill when it comes to social media - I'll help you get started at the March Meeting, and we'll talk about all the tools - blogs, Twitter, Ning, LinkedIn and RSS feeds.

See you there...

VIDEO - Hey People, It Takes a Village...

Of course, you thought I was referring to a book by a former first lady and an incoming Secretary of State - but you were wrong! 

I was actually talking about the need for volunteers to serve within BSHRM on committees like Community Relations, Programs, Sponsorship, and Legislative Affairs.  WE NEED YOU AND YOUR CONSIDERABLE SKILLS (shameless call to your vanity) to help out with the business of BSHRM.

Take a look at the video below, decide which person you'd rather work with (I don't think you can go wrong), and call them today.  We'll even let you create your own job description, complete with flexible working hours and a boss who really cares...

(Email Subscribers click through for video)

Get Your Leadership Game on With a Good Book Club...

Looking for a structure that will motivate you to catch up (or get started) on your business book reading?  How about a book club local to the Birmingham area?  Birmingham's own Marc Beaumont has started the Executive Book Club, and here's his description of what's up:

"A new social networking site geared for busy book-loving executives will host its first Birmingham chapter meeting on Jan. 29. The featured book is Kaihan Krippendorff's The Way of Innovation, which begins by boldly stating that "Innovation is not an option. It is a fundamental requisite of survival." If that's true, then HR executives would be wise to consider how they can apply the author's change framework, consisting of five basic phases derived from a collection of ancient Chinese wisdom writings, to promote innovation within their departments.

Krippendorff, a former consultant with McKinsey & Company turned author and management guru, artfully guides the reader through five distinct change phases: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. Each phase builds on the last in an endless cycle of rebirth, growth, and decline. Drawing on more than 3,000 years of Chinese history, Krippendorff provides readers with a unique perspective to the challenges of fostering lasting innovation by melding traditional Eastern philosophy with modern-day Western business practices.  The print version is less than $11. For more information, visit The Executive Book Club."

Sweet!  I'm planning on being there.  Hit the site to find out more if you are interested!

Giving Feedback to Your Boss When You're In HR...

You're in HR - a partner to whomever you serve... Guess what?  That means you're supposed to tell people when they're messing up.  For a lot of us, that's easy when it's employees and even the managers we serve in other departments.  It gets trickier when we have to tell our boss that there's something rotten in Denmark related to... well, them.

If you've been faced with giving your boss needed feedback as a HR pro, it comes in two different flavors -your boss is either a HR professional or a line manager to whom you report directly.  I've always found it easier to give straight feedback to a line manager I reported to.  After all, they aren't in HR, so the people/culture related stuff you usually coach them on can easily be rationalized as, "well, you know, that's why I've got you".

It's harder for the HR boss to hear what you have to say.  You know why - they're in HR, so they should likely be aware of what you are reminding them of.  Except they aren't.  Is anyone else uncomfortable?

But like the Discovery Channel points out nightly, humans HR people ain't nothin' but mammals.  With that in mind, here's my list of things to keep in mind once you decide to give the boss an "opportunity for improvement":

1.  You've Got to Give to Get - Mix positive reinforcement often - it's a good practice and money in the bank when you need to make an "opportunity for improvement" withdrawal.  If they've heard good stuff from you periodically, you'll automatically have credibility with the challenges you point out.

2.  Timing is Everything - Financials just came out and the division missed revenue by 20%, but you've got "talk to boss" in your day planner.  Don't be a sucker - kick your Franklin Covey binder across the room and live to fight another day.

3. Don't Roll Someone Else Under the Bus - Own your observation, don't say, "Johnny mentioned that you had an anger problem in the meeting".  By putting your observations on someone else, the boss wants to go tackle Johnny, not listen to you about the issue.  If you've done a good job with positive feedback and being there, your boss will listen to you when you need help from them - even regarding their own actions.

4. Have the Boss's Back Once in Awhile - Similar to the need for positive feedback, you've got to be there to take a bullet for the boss once in awhile, or at least identify a sniper before you go into a dicey meeting.  If you've been known to act like a secret service agent when needed for the boss, they'll listen when you have something to say.

And the most important factor to consider when giving negative feedback to your boss:

5. You're Not Judging Them, You're Their Agent - No one likes to feel judged when getting negative feedback from a subordinate.  Everyone likes to have an agent looking out for their corporate image.  That's why you're going to lead with the following - "Susan, as you know, I'm out there making it happen, but at the same time, I'm looking out for you.  That's why I have to make sure you have visibility to the fact that you shouldn't have fired that coordinator on the spot in front of 25 people".

Be the Gladys Kravitz of the office, and the boss will hate you.  Be his/her personal agent in charge of their corporate image, and you've got a chance to be heard and maybe.. just maybe.. get improvement in the area you need.

Finally, always end with the following to your boss - "You wanna hug it out?  Let's hug it out"....

SHRMingham? What is that?

By now, you know what BSHRM stands for.  The Birmingham Society for Human Resource Management (BSHRM) is the local chapter of the national Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). We've been around since 1943 and we're one of the biggest local chapters of SHRM in the nation.

In addition to all the things you expect out of a chapter like ours (Programs, Certification, Networking Opportunities, etc.), we're interested in connecting our members and sharing ideas and opinions about all aspects of managing HR and talent in your organization.

That's what the blog behind this newsletter is about. I'm the editor of the blog/newsletter, so I'll be writing as much as necessary in an effort to stir things up. I'll also be asking our board members and other talented HR pros I know to write for this space as well. But that's not enough. Having a conversation takes at least two people.

That's where you come in. How can you get involved in the conversation? First, we are always looking for voices from our chapter to share their thoughts and opinions on anything related to HR and Talent that moves you. Email me at [email protected] to let me know what you want to talk about. We'll provide space on this interactive format for you to share your thoughts, experience and opinion.

Writing a short column for this space seem too heavy for you? No problem, you can still be involved. Simply click on any title in this newsletter, and you'll be taken to the BSHRM blog (SHRMingham). Go to the bottom on any story (including those included in this newsletter, which will be at the top) and click on the "comments" link at the bottom of each post. When you do that, you'll be taken to an area where you can give your thoughts on the topic without feeling the formal pressures of being an author.

You don't even have to provide your name if that concerns you. That's how much we want to interact with you and get access to your expertise.

Once you click any of the titles on this newsletter, see the right hand column of the blog for options to subscribe to this blog in a reader (examples - Google Reader, MyYahoo) or via email. That way you don't have to remember to go out and see what's going on - it will be delivered to you automatically...

We'll send you this newsletter via email the first 3 or 4 times it's published.  After that, you'll have to subscribe via one of the options listed above to get it delivered via Google or email.  We're looking to engage you on a more frequent basis, so click through to the blog or click here to subscribe today.

Kris Dunn - Communications Guy, BSHRM

The Highest Paid HR Pros - Check to See If You're On The List!

Workforce Management recently highlighted the highest-paid HR Execs at publically traded companies in the US. Couple of key observations from the desk of the Capitalist:

You - Working hard for the money.
Them - Working hard for significantly more money.

You - No employment contract, living the "at-will" lifestyle.
Them - Able to generate large amounts in severance payouts if it doesn't work out.

You - Hoping the team finds a way to hit the crazy "stretch" numbers so you can get part of that annual bonus check.
Them - One bonus plan isn't enough.  Needed to break it up among "Bonus" and "Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation" to keep it all straight.

Them - Must have a pretty good agent.
Me - In need of agent.  Looking for the number of Drew Rosenhaus (uber-agent for Terrell Owens among others) in my Outlook Contacts.

See the PDF of the list here.   I need one of two things to resolve this inequity.  Either Ann Bares needs to sell a salary survey to my company, or I need the profane skills of Ari Gold of Entourage to market my capabilities more effectively...

The SHRMingham Interview - Dawn Hrdlica, HR Manager at MailSouth...

SHRMingham was fortunate enough a few weeks back to sit down at Ragtime Cafe on Valleydale with Dawn Hrdlica, HR Manager at MailSouth, for some Q&A...

After being interrupted about 20 times (Is Dawn the mayor of suburban Birmingham west of Interstate 65?  If not, she should be), we got down to business and found out more about what makes her tick.  Here's the rundown:

1. Name, Company and Position - Dawn Hrdlica, Mailsouth, HR Manager 

2. How long have you been a member of BSHRM? Since 2001

3. Tell us about what you do at MailSouth? As the HR manager, I am responsible primarily for managing our full service recruiting team/ function. In addition, I partner with our Director on strategic initiatives, training, coaching, and employee relations for our 350 FT employees and 500 PT employees.

4. Complete the following sentence… "I know the day is going to be a struggle when... I'm out of coffee "

5. Weirdest question you have ever been asked by a candidate who wanted you to hire them? Are you qualified to make an opinion of my candidacy? On second thought---not that bad of a question, kept me on my toes!

6. What is your all time favorite movie? Why? Are you kidding---I couldn't pick just one! Top 5: West Side Story, Goodfellas, The Color Purple, Cinema Paradiso, Dare I say 300?

7. Favorite event in the Olympics? Trampoline, of course!

8. What is your favorite type of music? Favorite Band? Why? So many to choose from. . . so little time! Stones are a must, as are the Beatles. Love REM, U2, 10,000 Maniacs, Gram Parsons, the Classics, a good torch song is always great to hear as well.

9. You’ve just been granted a wish and can invite four people from any time period in history to dinner. Who would you invite and why? Queen Eliz I (so strong, forward thinking, went against convention to great result). My grandparents---wish I knew them better (I'd have lots of questions about my parents!), I'd have a few questions for Peter, and hmmm, John Lennon?

10. What is your favorite way to spend the weekend? Why? I love day trips---any 4 day weekend is good for me. There is nothing better than PJs, chocolate cake and a good movie, too!

11. Complete this thought… "Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love were… proof that there is someone for everyone (I'm such an optimist) "

12. What’s your career goal in HR? Eventually I would like to direct my own team. More altruistically, I really like to present more, be more affective in my employees and peers lives. I'd also like to pay it forward to college age students the realities of job search/ job world. When I graduated in theatre performance---I thought that was all my degree was good for. I'd love to give grads information to help them determine transferable skills. Having now been in the HR profession for 7 years and completing my Masters in HR, I can reflect back with some objectivity. If I knew then what I know now, I would have gotten into the profession much sooner.

13. What is the last book you have read? The God Files by Frank Turner Hollon.

14. What do you do for fun away from MailSouth? Do you have hobbies? I am a singer---and an actress. In my past life, I got my first degree in Theatre Performance.

15. Advice you would give to the newbies trying to break into HR? Be patient, have an open mind, give your employees the benefit of the doubt. Don't be too fatalistic!

16. Preference Time – Alabama or Auburn? Southern Miss. . . .

17. You can take two things with you when you are stranded on a desert island. What do you take and why? IPOD (with unlimited battery power) a tool box (full of tools). Is that cheating?

18. What is your favorite part of your job?  Mentoring employees---solving problems.

HR and Beer - Good Call?

Most of us look for cutting-edge HR practices in the usual places - the tech companies like Google, Fortune's Annual List of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, etc.

Me?  I'm going to start following Beer Companies.  The greatest asset at SABMiller (Miller High Life, Miller Lite)?  Hops... and of course... uh, people.  And one other thing -   pros with business chops and even responsibility for other parts of the business. 

From the rarely cited, but always respected, Procurement Leaders:

"Brewing giant SABMiller has appointed Tony van Kralingen as the company’s new director of human resources and supply chain.

The new man, who is currently the managing director and chairman of SABMiller’s South African division, will begin his role on October 1, and will assume the position vacated by the company’s current HR director Johann Nel.

The group currently employ 70,000 staff worldwide and van Kralingen will take on an extension of the role carried out by Nel since 2002.

"Tony's career began in human resources and he has extensive experience of the discipline from his subsequent functional and line management roles" said Graham MacKay, chief executive, SABMiller.

6 Good Things That Happen to HR Pros During Recessions...Really...

So, here we are - in the middle of a little economic slowdown.  Is it a slowdown or a recession?  Does it matter?  Your 401k is a little bit lighter and everyone's on edge, meaning the therapist part of your job just became more important.  Good thing everyone has you around to hug it out with...

But you know, there are actually some good things that happen to HR Pros during recessions.  You just have to squint to see the opportunity.  I spent 10 minutes staring at the wall over a weekend, and here's my list of good things that are happening to you right now in all your HR-dom (click over to Workforce for the full article):

1.  Voluntary Turnover goes down...

2.  Good talent is available for less...

3.  There's no better time to start a focus on retention...

Wondering why these are good things or interested in the rest of my list?  Click over to my article with the same title on Workforce to see the rest of the breakdown...

So, here we are - in the middle of a little economic slowdown.  Is it a slowdown or a recession?  Does it matter?  Your 401k is a little bit lighter and everyone's on edge, meaning the therapist part of your job just became more important.  Good thing everyone has you around to hug it out with...

But you know, there are actually some good things that happen to HR Pros during recessions.  You just have to squint to see the opportunity.  I spent 10 minutes staring at the wall over a weekend, and here's my list of good things that are happening to you right now in all your HR-dom (click over to Workforce for the full article):

1.  Voluntary Turnover goes down...

2.  Good talent is available for less...

3.  There's no better time to start a focus on retention...

Wondering why these are good things or interested in the rest of my list?  Click over to my article with the same title on Workforce to see the rest of the breakdown...

A World Without HR - Who Cares?

Admit it - you've had one of those days before where you wondered if you were making any impact at all.  Easy to get caught up in transactions, and like any else who's "living the vida-corporate", it's easy to wonder if anyone would miss you if you went away.  Or if your function went away...

What about it, Sparky?  Would anyone miss you?  If the HR function at your company went away, what would they miss about not having you around?  That's what the Happy Employee recently asked.  Take a look and ponder..

From the Happy Employee:

"Without any HR professionals around the economy wouldn't fall apart, but in the first weeks I assume there would be problems with salary payments and nobody would know where to find the templates to issue employment contracts to new hires. Of course, it wouldn't take long for finance to step in with payroll and legal would take care of contracts.

And here's the challenge
The worldwide fraternity of senior executives meets 6 months after the HR rapture to discuss why they miss HR. What would they say?"

The analysis provided is straight up money.  You think Finance couldn't figure out a way to get the transactions done?  If anything payroll related was your answer, don't pass go.  Walk straight to the outsourcing center.

My take?  I can't get in the minds of the people I work for, but I think they would point to three areas - maybe not in the first day, or the first week.  But when week #2 rolled around, I think they would say they miss the competent HR team in the following areas:

-Recruiting - "Moving through hundreds of candidates, or doing a passive search when we don't is a lot harder than I thought.  What am I supposed to say when I do call someone for the first time?  Let's just hire some headhunters - the unbudgeted 6 figures is easier than doing it ourselves..."

-Employee Relations - "I wish we still had the HR team to block and tackle this EEOC charge.  Man, is that messy.  Did we have these when they were here?  Seems like the responses and the adjustments we had to make just kind of happened.

-Coaching - "I wish we still had the HR team so we could bounce things off them in a confidential manner.  I don't have anyone I can talk to about my team and how to handle different situations.  Who am I supposed to talk to?  Chuck?  He's a walking harassment claim..."

Those are my first takes to what would be said.  What are yours?

Admit it - you've had one of those days before where you wondered if you were making any impact at all.  Easy to get caught up in transactions, and like any else who's "living the vida-corporate", it's easy to wonder if anyone would miss you if you went away.  Or if your function went away...

What about it, Sparky?  Would anyone miss you?  If the HR function at your company went away, what would they miss about not having you around?  That's what the Happy Employee recently asked.  Take a look and ponder..

From the Happy Employee:

"Without any HR professionals around the economy wouldn't fall apart, but in the first weeks I assume there would be problems with salary payments and nobody would know where to find the templates to issue employment contracts to new hires. Of course, it wouldn't take long for finance to step in with payroll and legal would take care of contracts.

And here's the challenge
The worldwide fraternity of senior executives meets 6 months after the HR rapture to discuss why they miss HR. What would they say?"

The analysis provided is straight up money.  You think Finance couldn't figure out a way to get the transactions done?  If anything payroll related was your answer, don't pass go.  Walk straight to the outsourcing center.

My take?  I can't get in the minds of the people I work for, but I think they would point to three areas - maybe not in the first day, or the first week.  But when week #2 rolled around, I think they would say they miss the competent HR team in the following areas:

-Recruiting - "Moving through hundreds of candidates, or doing a passive search when we don't is a lot harder than I thought.  What am I supposed to say when I do call someone for the first time?  Let's just hire some headhunters - the unbudgeted 6 figures is easier than doing it ourselves..."

-Employee Relations - "I wish we still had the HR team to block and tackle this EEOC charge.  Man, is that messy.  Did we have these when they were here?  Seems like the responses and the adjustments we had to make just kind of happened.

-Coaching - "I wish we still had the HR team so we could bounce things off them in a confidential manner.  I don't have anyone I can talk to about my team and how to handle different situations.  Who am I supposed to talk to?  Chuck?  He's a walking harassment claim..."

Those are my first takes to what would be said.  What are yours?

Did the CareerBuilder SuperBowl Ads Stink?

I thought so.  So much potential (can anyone say "hire Steve Carell of The Office"), so little delivery. 

A while back, CareerBuilder got it right.  The monkeys were running the show, and you couldn't get any work done.  Cool, I get that.

This year, I got a heart turning in a resignation?  From Workforce via Crain's Advertising Age:

"A weak showing in last year’s USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter got (or, depending on whom you believe, contributed to getting) CareerBuilder’s agency, Cramer-Krasselt, fired. So, does a significantly worse showing in this year’s survey mean that the online job site’s new agency, Wieden & Kennedy, ought to be worried?

Wieden’s debut spots for CareerBuilder, which kicked off a new campaign dubbed “Start Building,” placed 39th and 47th in USA Today’s annual popularity contest. The best of C-K’s three “Office Jungle” spots last year finished 16th, and its top “Office Monkeys” spots rated 11th and fourth, respectively, in 2006 and 2005."

When you serve up a product related to the workplace, everyone's rooting for you.  Everyone wants you to do a parody about how bad their job is.  They're waiting for you, just BEGGING, for you to show everyone what a mockery the rat race is...

Then you talk about heart... OK, you are a humanitarian... maybe a motivational type...

You're also fired if you are that Ad Agency....

If you can't afford Steve Carell, go get Dwight... C'mon!!

The Many HR Uses of the Word "Dude"...

I was watching the wild card playoff games in the NFL over the weekend.  The clear winner?  Not the Chargers, Jaguars, Giants or Seahawks.  For me, the clear winner is Bud Light and their series of "Dude" commercials, which show a specific person using "Dude" in at least ten different contexts in his life.

That got me thinking - how many different ways do HR Managers, Directors and VPs use the word "dude" in their day-to-day professional lives?  The number has to range in the hundreds, but here's my top 5 after doing a little brainstorming:

-After hearing of an event sure to result in a termination ("Dude" with a sense of disdain, slow head nod in the "no" motion)...

-In an effort to correct someone on the fly who is making a career limiting decision/statement ("Dude" with a sense of urgency and alarm, eyes wide open)...

-In a moment of weakness after seeing a large, self-insured medical invoice for your company ("Dude" with a sense of despair and an external locus of control, falling back in your chair from the upright position)...

-In an effort to get a little privacy when you are holding a private meeting with an employee and someone does a quick knock and walks in ("Dude" with a sense of disbelief, hand out with palm pointing upwards to show the fact you need a little privacy)...

-To confirm with hiring manager that you have found the perfect candidate for the open spot on their team (Walking into their office after both of you have interviewed the candidate and you're stopping by to compare notes.  "Dude" with both hands open as you walk in like you expect to hug it out)...

I'm sure you can think of others that rule your workday.  Hit me in the comments with your freshest example and enjoy the many meanings of "Dude" below...

I was watching the wild card playoff games in the NFL over the weekend.  The clear winner?  Not the Chargers, Jaguars, Giants or Seahawks.  For me, the clear winner is Bud Light and their series of "Dude" commercials, which show a specific person using "Dude" in at least ten different contexts in his life.

That got me thinking - how many different ways do HR Managers, Directors and VPs use the word "dude" in their day-to-day professional lives?  The number has to range in the hundreds, but here's my top 5 after doing a little brainstorming:

-After hearing of an event sure to result in a termination ("Dude" with a sense of disdain, slow head nod in the "no" motion)...

-In an effort to correct someone on the fly who is making a career limiting decision/statement ("Dude" with a sense of urgency and alarm, eyes wide open)...

-In a moment of weakness after seeing a large, self-insured medical invoice for your company ("Dude" with a sense of despair and an external locus of control, falling back in your chair from the upright position)...

-In an effort to get a little privacy when you are holding a private meeting with an employee and someone does a quick knock and walks in ("Dude" with a sense of disbelief, hand out with palm pointing upwards to show the fact you need a little privacy)...

-To confirm with hiring manager that you have found the perfect candidate for the open spot on their team (Walking into their office after both of you have interviewed the candidate and you're stopping by to compare notes.  "Dude" with both hands open as you walk in like you expect to hug it out)...

I'm sure you can think of others that rule your workday.  Hit me in the comments with your freshest example and enjoy the many meanings of "Dude" below...

How to Tell If A Recruiter Can Be Your Next HR Manager...

One strong opinion I have is this - if you aren't recruiting as a HR Generalist, you're an administrator, subject to being outsourced at your employer's whim in the future.  I believe HR people need to be heavily involved in the Talent acquisition process in their companies.  I know recruiting can and is outsourced, but if you are good on the recruiting front as a HR Manager, you'll always have a job.

So, it stands to reason that Recruiters are great candidates to be HR Managers.  Jim Stroud recently agreed with that, and wondered aloud "why not HR" to his recruiting brethren. 

Of course, not all Recruiters would make solid HR Managers.  But many would.  Here's my list of the top three reasons why recruiters would potentially make great HR Managers, then my top three barriers that have to be validated before you would ever put a recruiter in the HR Manager role.

Why I love Recruiters as potential HR people:

1.  Energy - Most recruiters have better energy than your average HR Manager.  Energy is good, and our profession can stand some spicing up...

2.  A..B..C.. - (Always Be Closing) - Recruiters are salespeople, used to working a funnel and closing business.  There's usually a scoreboard involved, be it the number of vacancies, time to fill or cost to fill.  That means most recruiters worth a promotion to HR Manager know how to compete.  Another good attribute to have.

3. Employer Brand Awareness - As part of the ABC equation, recruiters are always aware of your brand proposition.  That experience bodes well as they make the transition to retaining as well as recruiting employees.  Who better to tell your employees why this is a cool place?

Before you hire that recruiter as a HR Manager, check under the hood for the following:

1.  Patience - HR Managers have to have patience daily.  Workplace politics and human nature conspire to make HR Managers take 4 steps where 1 would have been OK in order to keep everyone happy.  If your recruiter doesn't have that, don't put them in the job.

2.  Judgment - What's the reputation for integrity and good decision making with the recruiter in question?  Viewed as a business partner by the departments they recruit for, or the jester that wears the lampshade after knocking a couple back at the Christmas party?  This question isn't limited to recruiters, it would be there for any transfer from another area into HR.  The recruiter has to have a good reputation, or it won't work...

3.  Tolerance for Administrivia - Recruiters will see more administration in this role than they are used to.  If they seem overly frustrated by the administrative burdens of your ATS or EEOC process, they probably won't be a great fit.

Recruiters are a great candidate source for HR managers openings.  Follow these guidelines to determine if they have the chops, and you'll end up with a great selection without getting burned....

One strong opinion I have is this - if you aren't recruiting as a HR Generalist, you're an administrator, subject to being outsourced at your employer's whim in the future.  I believe HR people need to be heavily involved in the Talent acquisition process in their companies.  I know recruiting can and is outsourced, but if you are good on the recruiting front as a HR Manager, you'll always have a job.

So, it stands to reason that Recruiters are great candidates to be HR Managers.  Jim Stroud recently agreed with that, and wondered aloud "why not HR" to his recruiting brethren. 

Of course, not all Recruiters would make solid HR Managers.  But many would.  Here's my list of the top three reasons why recruiters would potentially make great HR Managers, then my top three barriers that have to be validated before you would ever put a recruiter in the HR Manager role.

Why I love Recruiters as potential HR people:

1.  Energy - Most recruiters have better energy than your average HR Manager.  Energy is good, and our profession can stand some spicing up...

2.  A..B..C.. - (Always Be Closing) - Recruiters are salespeople, used to working a funnel and closing business.  There's usually a scoreboard involved, be it the number of vacancies, time to fill or cost to fill.  That means most recruiters worth a promotion to HR Manager know how to compete.  Another good attribute to have.

3. Employer Brand Awareness - As part of the ABC equation, recruiters are always aware of your brand proposition.  That experience bodes well as they make the transition to retaining as well as recruiting employees.  Who better to tell your employees why this is a cool place?

Before you hire that recruiter as a HR Manager, check under the hood for the following:

1.  Patience - HR Managers have to have patience daily.  Workplace politics and human nature conspire to make HR Managers take 4 steps where 1 would have been OK in order to keep everyone happy.  If your recruiter doesn't have that, don't put them in the job.

2.  Judgment - What's the reputation for integrity and good decision making with the recruiter in question?  Viewed as a business partner by the departments they recruit for, or the jester that wears the lampshade after knocking a couple back at the Christmas party?  This question isn't limited to recruiters, it would be there for any transfer from another area into HR.  The recruiter has to have a good reputation, or it won't work...

3.  Tolerance for Administrivia - Recruiters will see more administration in this role than they are used to.  If they seem overly frustrated by the administrative burdens of your ATS or EEOC process, they probably won't be a great fit.

Recruiters are a great candidate source for HR managers openings.  Follow these guidelines to determine if they have the chops, and you'll end up with a great selection without getting burned....

Performance Management at Microsoft - Moving from 5-point to 3-point Rating Scale

It's been awhile since I waxed about the limitations of the performance management systems most of us use in our companies.  Probably my biggest pet peeve is the 5 point rating scale, where managers invariably use a combination of 3's and 4's to bail themselves out of tough conversations with average employees (click through on the link to get my take). 

I like the 3-point scale better.  With that in mind, it was good to see Microsoft featured in the most recent print edition of Workforce Managment as having ripped out their 5-point rating scale and installed a 3-point scale.  From the article:

"Under that old system, Microsoft managers assigned current performance ratings of 0 to 5 in half-point increments based on a forced distribution.  Because current performance ratings not only determine annual salary increases but also come in to play when employees apply for another position with the company, the forced distribution approach was a sore spot.

"We also discovered the old system was not fully effective", Ritchie (Microsoft GM for Performance Management) notes.  Consequently, Microsoft trashed its 0 to 5 rating scale and adopted a three point "commitment" scale of "exceeded", "achieved" and "underperformed" with no forced distribution.

"Distribution under the new system is about what we expected," Richie reports.  In the last full cycle, 37 percent of employees received a rating of "exceeded", 58% received a rating of "achieved" and 5 percent were rated "underperformed".  The general rule is that the top group receives a merit increase that is 50% higher than average performers."

Of course, your problems don't end just because you move from a 5-point to 3-point scale.  You still have to have managers that can communicate the difference between a "meets" and an "exceeds", and the distribution of overall ratings can still be an issue. 

But you are taking the "Sometimes Exceeds" crutch away by moving to a 3-point scale, and that's worth the effort alone.

It's been awhile since I waxed about the limitations of the performance management systems most of us use in our companies.  Probably my biggest pet peeve is the 5 point rating scale, where managers invariably use a combination of 3's and 4's to bail themselves out of tough conversations with average employees (click through on the link to get my take). 

I like the 3-point scale better.  With that in mind, it was good to see Microsoft featured in the most recent print edition of Workforce Managment as having ripped out their 5-point rating scale and installed a 3-point scale.  From the article:

"Under that old system, Microsoft managers assigned current performance ratings of 0 to 5 in half-point increments based on a forced distribution.  Because current performance ratings not only determine annual salary increases but also come in to play when employees apply for another position with the company, the forced distribution approach was a sore spot.

"We also discovered the old system was not fully effective", Ritchie (Microsoft GM for Performance Management) notes.  Consequently, Microsoft trashed its 0 to 5 rating scale and adopted a three point "commitment" scale of "exceeded", "achieved" and "underperformed" with no forced distribution.

"Distribution under the new system is about what we expected," Richie reports.  In the last full cycle, 37 percent of employees received a rating of "exceeded", 58% received a rating of "achieved" and 5 percent were rated "underperformed".  The general rule is that the top group receives a merit increase that is 50% higher than average performers."

Of course, your problems don't end just because you move from a 5-point to 3-point scale.  You still have to have managers that can communicate the difference between a "meets" and an "exceeds", and the distribution of overall ratings can still be an issue. 

But you are taking the "Sometimes Exceeds" crutch away by moving to a 3-point scale, and that's worth the effort alone.