Last week I read two articles that seemed that the writing was on the wall for us.  The first concerned recruitment being conducted online without any human contact between the hirer and candidates.  The second reported on a survey that suggested people did not want to participate in any more teambuilding processes.

As we are in the people business, they both were cause for concern. 

Hiring without Humans

“The Future of Hiring: Human Resources, Without the Hiring” by Ken Gaebler, published on TheAtlantic.com, described how some companies were using a computer game to identify the best candidate for a job.  In other words the winner got the job.  In essence the computer game was an “employment simulation” and naturally was very popular with high-tech firms.  The simulation was seen as predicting who would do well in the “real world” facing similar challenges.

Eventually, Gaebler conceded that a blended approach is better as it can use the information from the employment simulation with knowledge garnered through face-to-face meeting.

We, along with many others, have long since used a myriad of approaches to helping companies assess the suitability of candidates for a position, as all the research suggests interviews alone are not the best predictor of ability and/or suitability for a job.  The preferred option may include employment simulations, but the information garnered through these needs to be supported with results from psychometrics and more traditional selection processes, e.g. interviews, CVs, etc.  Different data sources help create a fuller picture, from which to make a better decision.

The Demise of Team-Building

The second piece of alarming news was a press release from Vodafone.  This looked at some of the results from a survey that they commissioned about teambuilding.  The study found that a majority (54%) said doing “more” team-building events” would not help them work more effectively with colleagues.  Of course I was worried, as we help many companies facilitate team-building programmes.  On further inspection, it appears that team-building includes: bungee jumping; bikini clad bed baths, lingerie parties and eating crickets.  Thankfully we do not offer any of these. 

However the concern remains that what passes as team-building, can do the opposite.  Yes it can range from “fun” events to outdoor activities to solving complex problems to getting to know each other better to facilitated sessions dealing with real issues, but without an opportunity to draw out the learning and see what it means for day-to-day working together, it is often assigned to the shelf of experiences, that rarely gets dusted. 

I hope and believe that the Human in HR will be there for some time, but the onus is on the human to be relevant, credible and add real value through insightful interventions.

Both suggestions are further evidence of organisations not grasping the nettle – success comes from healthy, functioning relationships at work, where problems are identified early and dealt with appropriately, effectively and sensitively, rather than being ignored and allowed to fester.  We need to put the Human into HR before we think about taking it out!

Emigration has littered the history of Ireland, to the extent that the Irish diaspora (those who have left and their descendants) is estimated to be thirteen times the population of the island. We are not the only country to lose our talent, as economic migration exists on a global scale. However for certain countries it is cyclical as was witnessed by the Celtic Tiger enticing people to return to Ireland. But of course these difficult times have meant emigration has returned to these shores and I meet Irish people everywhere I go in the world.

“What can we do to retain talent?” is a question posed by every organisation with a view to achieving success.

I found some answers recently in two diverse places – the book,” “EMPLOYEES FIRST, CUSTOMERS SECOND” and the film “THE HELP”.

In the book by Vineet Nayar, CEO of HCL Technologies, the reader is treated to a first-hand account of howHCL Technologies has transformed its ways of working in order to retain talent and excel in delivering its value proposition to customers. Vineet did not know the answers when he set out on this transformational journey, but by being prepared to face the difficult questions (HCL Technologies was still in double digit growth but no longer a market leader and loosing top talent), he helped develop a culture of transparency that increased trust and literally turned the organisation on its head. Armed with the knowledge that the value the company provided customers was more in how they worked than in what they offered, he decided that the organisation should be at the service of this “Value Zone”.

So the organisation now looks more like an inverted pyramid with management and support functions in service of the value zone where employees meet customer needs. So “EMPLOYEES FIRST, CUSTOMERS SECOND” was born. His belief is that if employees are supported appropriately, offered developmental opportunities in line with their needs, they will be better able to provide excellent service to the customer. Thus the customer wins, the organisation wins and the employees want to belong. HCL Technologies have won “The Best Place to Work” award both in India and the UK, are again not only attracting the best, but keeping their staff, and everyone’s talent has a chance to shine.

“The Help” is both a highly acclaimed book and successful film. While it has been criticised for not tackling the political implications of its key themes, its appeal is that it has engaging characters that struggle to find courage and their place in the world and succeed in developing their talents to achieve more than what may have been possible had they have just “gone along with how things was”. While the times ensured that talent was not always rewarded appropriately or fairly, the film tells the story of women who when supported and challenged, could make a difference. Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter, all had to go through changes for their multiplicity of talents to develop – be it changing jobs, changing attitudes, or changing mentors. The film reinforces that talent is not a single characteristic or attribute, but rather a combination of factors that sometimes needs another to be drawn out.

So what does all this say about talent management in organisations or in the country as a whole? I know the conditions must be right. I know that different generations within the workforce have different expectations and ways of operating. I have witnessed companies that develop their people well and others where they don’t or at best pay lip service to it. But I would appreciate your suggestions on your top tips for talent management – so please post your comments here. Thank you.

Much has been written, particularly and appropriately online, about the sad passing of Steve Jobs.  Many have referred to his achievements with Apple and Pixar.  Similar numbers have quoted his philosophy of following your heart and “doing great work” to achieve satisfaction before you die.

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc to watch his inspiring Stanford commencement address of 2005.

It reminded me of the importance to think beyond expectations and follow through on commitments and especially on commitments to self.

Have you heard the joke about the man who goes into the bar with his dog?

They walk up to the bar and the man puts the dog on the stool next to him.  The barman comes over and asks the man what he would like to drink.  “A whiskey”, he replies.  Jokingly the barman says “I suppose the dog would like something as well?”  To the barman’s surprise, the dog replies “I’d like a whiskey too please”.

“Wow.  You have a talking dog.  How did he learn to do that?”

“Well I taught him how to make various sounds and then years of practice.  He is nearly pitch perfect now”.

The barman pours the two whiskeys and then says to the dog “You must be real proud, having your master teach you how to talk and to be able to order your own drink”.

“No” the dog replied.

“He wanted me to be a doctor”.

In some performance review processes “meets expectations” is seen as a “pass” mark.  In others, it really means “could have done better”.  It begs the question who sets expectations and how are they measured.  Then if successful, inevitably
expectations are raised (or in the jargon “stretch goals” are set).  Enough is never enough anymore.

All of my life, I am disappointed when I or others do not realise the potential “I” see in myself or in another.  This is equally wrong, for who am I to decide on what someone’s potential is?  Can we not accept that some people are happy with what they have or how they do something?

Last week, while running an innovation programme I was fortunate to have someone from Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in the group.  At times, when walking around the
room, I would lean against the back of a chair and begin to rock it.  Finally James (name changed to protect the innocent) from OH&S said “I wish you would stop rocking against that chair.  It is not a safe thing to do”.  I admired him both for his honesty and for
being true to what his responsibilities were.  James walked the talk.

Similarly a CEO of a large hospital, when acting as part of the hygiene committee and performing a spot check on a ward, had to tell a senior consultant, that he had not washed his hands between meeting two patients.  This he found difficult to do, as he did not want to embarrass the consultant in public.  However he had to do it immediately.  His embarrassment was multiplied when patients in the ward clapped his reprimand of the consultant.  The following day the CEO met the consultant in the corridor and went to apologise for the public humiliation.  The consultant responded by saying he was right to do what he did and “you can rest assured that every one of my team will be washing their hands from now on!”

In the dictionary, authentic is described as “conforming to fact and therefore worthy of trust, reliance, or belief”.  To be worthy of another person’s trust is what it is all about.  Jim Collins in his article for Harvard Business Review “Level 5 Leadership – The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve” (Jan 2001) describes a level 5 leader “as a necessary requirement for transforming an organization from good to great”.  And the qualities of such a leader? “A paradoxical combination of personal humility and professional will”.

When you walk the talk, you are being authentic.  When beliefs and behaviours coincide beyond is possible.  People respect people, brands and organisations that have  authenticity, even if that authenticity has come at the cost of not always taking the path of least resistance.

Damian Killen

On Wednesday our second brood of swifts fledged.  I was lucky enough to see the last leaving the nest.  It got me thinking of how far south they would travel and reminded me of my own trip to South Africa last November.  While there I met many other species of birds and animals and wondered on “what could we learn from them?”

Cape Town is a port city and attracts its fair share of seagulls who wish to dine with you.  Some people see them as a pest or nuisance, and others embrace them and encourage them to eat alongside us.  Whether they were rebuked or encouraged, these birds showed a steely determination to hold firm onto what was important to them.

On a trip to the Cape of Good Hope, we encountered baboons, ostriches, turtles, penguins and other birds.  The baboons live cheek by jowl with humans and if they spot an open window are happy to invite themselves in for dinner or to a party.  However, the ones that I met, were carrying their young, hoping to teach their offspring a respect for the world around them that did not include being fearful of others.

The ostriches I met were either on a farm or living in the wild having re-enacted Steve McQueen in The Great Escape.  Humans often only know of ostriches through their reputation for sticking their head in the sand, but I observed proud, graceful athletes with heads held high and coloured bibs to denote gender.  In either instance, I felt there was beauty in simplicity.  In contrast to the ostriches, the turtles were unhurried and grateful when vehicles slowed to allow them cross the road.  They live to ripe old ages not by
being slaves to time but by owning the time they have.

The penguins were like marine meerkats.  We found them in the early evening, sunning themselves on the rocks. However, there was always one stayed alert and kept an eye out for possible predators.  At Cape Point, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean, cormorants were nesting in the most inhospitable of places.  Strong winds buffeted us all and yet these resilient creatures found small ledges to mate and rear their young.  Alas, I wasn’t there to witness flight school.

Wherever I went, it was clear that no species could survive alone and needed others – be it their own species or other species, including humanity, for survival.

Interdependence is a reality that we all know and observe every day.  But in these challenging times, within our teams or dotted line relationships of matrix organisations, do we act in a way that nurtures or diminishes interdependence?

How interdependent is your team?  Have a go at the following questions and let us know how you get on.

If you have scored a total between 31 and 40, it suggests that you work within an interdependent team that works for each other and towards a common goal.  Think about how you can sustain this level of interdependence and help other teams you belong to achieve it.

If you have scored a total between 21 and 30, it suggests either at times you function as an interdependent team or some members collaborate in a spirit of interdependence.  Reflect on the times when the team has worked successfully and what they will need to do to improve interdependence and effectiveness.

If you have scored a total between 11 and 20, it suggests that more often than not the team collaborates only if it has to.  Think about whether you are happy with this arrangement and if not how can you create a climate for interdependence to flourish.If you have scored a total between 1 and 10, it suggests that silo working and silo thinking are the “team’s” preferred ways of working. Reflect on whether you believe independence is preferable to interdependence for team members and what are the implications for team performance.

Bill Clinton said “You live in the age of interdependence. Borders don’t count for much or stop much, good or bad, anymore”.  In essence, we can not exist, survive or thrive without others.  How we choose to interact will determine whether we view this interdependence as a burden of history or blueprint for growth.

Please leave a comment if you found this helpful or unhelpful or if you have encountered some of the issues raised in a team you belong to.

Damian Killen                                                                                             16^th September 2011

This time I find myself in Brazil for the first time and reflecting on the art of communication and will say something another time about the importance of belonging.

With some trepidation, I knew I would find myself in situations where some people would speak Portuguese and I would speak English, and wondered how I would cope.  By the end of the experience I found myself reflecting more on two different forms of communication with different priorities:

• essence and intention versus
• accuracy and subtlety

While working in Sao Paulo, I had myself invited to play in a football game.  Football is a passion of mine and for anyone who knows anything about football, Brazil and football are inseparable.  So with the excitement of a child going on holiday, I looked forward to the game.  With the fear of an adult, I worried if I would play terrible (a regular occurrence) or if I would be overwhelmed by Brazilian artistry and flair.  What I forgot was that most of those I was playing with did not speak English.  As when playing with any new group of players, it took a while for me to discover their style of play and for them to discover my limited ability.  Time dictated that essence and intention were critical when communicating, be through grunts, hand gestures, off the ball running and facial expressions.  It was hard going, but the football was enjoyable and I can say with pride that I scored a goal when playing in Brazil (and for the cynics among you it was not an own goal!).

From there I travelled to Anapolis to stay with friends we had made years earlier when they lived in Ireland.  They had limited English and my Portuguese did not extend further than scenes involving Jamie and Aurelia from “Love Actually”.  It could have been a long four days, except for the desire of everyone to communicate with essence and intention.  Essence meant simplicity was critical.  It was more important to get the gist of what was being said than the nuances.  In addition, by paying attention to the person speaking and focusing on their intentions, it was easier to identify what they wanted to communicate.  The four days flew by and could not have been more rewarding.

In both cases, essence and intention drove the communication and relationships, while subtlety and accuracy took a back seat.

In contrast, the sessions in Sao Paulo had simultaneous translation provided by excellent interpreters.  This afforded everyone the opportunity to speak as they wished and allow accuracy and subtlety to take precedence.  Accuracy is essential when trying to debate important topics and subtlety required when discussing delicate or conflictual matters.  Accuracy and subtlety are critical to dispelling confusion and for going deeper into potentially difficult matters and for gaining long-term commitment.

However I wonder if we were to spend some additional time at the outset focussing on essence and intention, would communication be easier in general?  I regularly work with people whose first language is not English and notice that they usually either simplify what they want to say and/or choose from a limited vocabulary to say what they want to say.  This can mean that subtlety is lost, but quickly we get to the essence of what someone wants to say.

With intention, we need not just to observe behaviour, but be prepared to step into the shoes of others, in order to understand what is important and also not to misconstrue subsequent behaviour.  There is an old Irish proverb that says “why do we judge others by their behaviour and judge ourselves by our good intentions”.  So ask yourself “why” people do what they do and look for a positive answer to this question, before engaging in potential difficult situations.

I realise that my personality type is predisposed to looking for patterns and that I am happy without getting the complete picture.  However, without forgetting the importance of accuracy and subtlety in communication, try essence and intention and see how you get on.  Feel free to let me know how you get on and if it works for you.

Damian Killen

damian@thrive.ie

The entertainment awards season has culminated with the Oscars and The King’s Speech has collected some of the big prizes.  At work we started talking about our Top 10 films of all time.  Not the best 10 films of all time, but rather our 10 favourite films – which for some meant films that had an impact on them, for others meant they would watch them over and over and for others meant that they would take them to the imaginary desert island to watch on their solar powered DVD player or iPad.   Then we asked others the same and I have been collecting responses for the past month.  Interestingly no film is mentioned in more than 25% of the lists.  Thankfully diversity of opinion is alive and well around the globe.

Then we got talking about performances and the conversation found its way to performance at work.  For a long time I have been using Mullins (1993) definition that

Ability x Motivation = Performance

This equation makes it clear that appropriate motivation of talented people exponentially increases performance.  Traditionally organisations have provided this through monetary incentives or having managers get the “best out of their people”.  In this approach it is important to recognise what drives people, be it their needs, values, goals, behaviours or expectations.

Most of us, who have managed others, take a common sense approach to this and realise that people are different and that it is important to recognise what is needed to motivate each person.  Managers say to themselves “Jamie appreciates being thanked for the contribution she makes”; “Susan always likes a challenge”; “Paul hates to be left out”; “Don’t forget to talk to Rob about his family”, etc.

Most of us also realise that money will only work as an incentive for a period of time, before other factors come into play.  But once money is off the table as an issue you can really understand what is important to the other person and act accordingly.

Daniel Pink (2009) talks about Motivation and suggests it is about providing employees with opportunities for Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.  He argues that money is fine when it comes to technical tasks as a way of improving performance.  However, when it comes to more creative tasks, then in fact money is a barrier to success and improved performance.  The carrot and stick approach encourages tunnel vision – not the best thing to have when seeking to be creative and ultimately innovative.

Pink believes that the secret to high performance is in the deeply human needs

• to direct our own lives
• to learn and create new things
• to do better by ourselves and the world

He uses examples from many situations when people are provided with freedom to act, they will and not because they are being paid for it.  A classic example being Wikipedia, essentially now the “go-to” encyclopaedia, which has been created by volunteers wanting to share knowledge, with no reward.

In older theories of Motivation, built on Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, we realise that once basic needs are tended to, we all crave to have a dream to inspire us, an opportunity to shape our lives and create a better world in which to live and love.

So to return to the Oscars.  In “The King’s Speech”, Bertie (the future King George VI) dreams of being able to speak free of a debilitating impediment, so that he can encourage and lead the country through the difficult years of the war.  His performance was upped because he worked on his ability and was motivated by the eccentric speech therapist Mr. Lionel Logue, by his wife and ultimately by himself.

Motivation comes from within, from the person next to us and from dreams beyond us.  Without it ability alone may only produce ordinary performance.  With it talent becomes performances worthy of note.

As a Manager, do we not all strive to be motivating and inspiring; challenging our teams to better themselves, both for their own development and also for the good of our organisation?  What reward do we receive for this?  In very few organisations that I have worked in, is this reward financial.  But as a Manager, managing a motivated and inspired team is so much easier and rewarding than struggling to get people to engage and feeling like you are constantly fighting a losing battle.  If your team are not motivated what are you doing to resolve this issue? 

 And the Oscar for Performance by a Manager in a Leading Role goes to …

Here I am travelling the world teaching innovation, writing this in the back of a cab stuck in a traffic jam next to Tiananmen Square, when it dawns on me that there will be days when I will be up for innovation and change, and then other days, when it is totally beyond me. 

While as a person I typically see change as positive, I recognise that this is not the same for everyone.  I know this, but don’t always do enough either to go slower or reassure others with the necessary facts.  

So here I am in China, and for the first time in a very long time I feel disconcerted. The language is beyond me. I stick out as a foreigner and am more likely to be subject of a “the hard sell” from hawkers or would-be guides. I find myself on the defensive and challenged by the simplest of tasks. 

I could choose to retreat to my room, surf the net, work on some proposals, phone home. But this would mean missing an opportunity.  I need reassurance and courage.

So I set out to understand some of the customs, to travel the subway, to seek out fellow travellers and learn from their experiences, to risk being sniggered at with my poor pronunciation and to embrace the differences and challenges. 

We have been teaching people how to cope with and lead others through change for years.  I have taught people different models of how to do this – notably William Bridge’s Managing Transitions.  The simplicity of his model is its beauty.  He writes about having to deal with three stages in order to manage a transition and deal with change effectively.  These stages he calls – endings, neutral zone and new beginnings.  Never one to be happy to take anything from across the Atlantic at face value (apologies to North American readers), I renamed these as Loss, Limbo and Life.

The Endings stage is about identifying and respecting who is losing what.  The Neutral Zone is when you don’t know whether you are coming or going, a limbo when your energy can be used creatively or destructively. In New Beginnings, it is about moving on and embracing the new reality with a sense of vitality and life.

I probably have bought more copies of his book than any other to give to people and yet again and again, I am surprised by the importance of others to help you navigate the process.  Again today I realise that without encouragement and courage, it is all too easy to get stuck in any of the phases, be it unable to move beyond what has been, or getting stuck in limbo or failing to grasp the new reality.

Next time I will put more emphasis on providing reassurance and demonstrating belief in another, when enabling others to find their way through change. 

Today, my level of fear has subsided and I am learning from the change. 

Apparently Confucius had to study “The Book of Change” so often that eventually the leather bands of the bamboo slip snapped.  There is hope for us all!!

P.S. As Marco Polo said “I have not told half of what I saw”, so in a later instalment, I will look at what I have learnt recently about innovation.

It’s cold outside

As end of year choices
compete with new year resolutions,
don’t wait for the thaw,
stand tall in imperfection
and believe in more.

Merry Christmas from everyone in thrive and may the New Year bring health and happiness to you and yours.

Ann, Anne, Brendan, Damian, Marie, Niamh, Sharon, Tony & Tony

A donation to the Simon Community has been made on your behalf. 

Thank you.

First there was a demonstration of numerous dishes to everyone, with handy hints along the way.  This concluded with a tasting of what had been cooked.  Needless to say, it made queuing a pleasurable experience.  Then we chose three of the items that we wanted to cook ourselves.  The following morning we turned up in aprons and with the correct knives to the appointed work station. Miraculously all the ingredients we needed were ready for us with one chef available for every 6 students!

Over the next three hours we toiled away, cooking delicious bread, slicing onions to perfection (before burning them), making a sweet chilli and tomato jam to go with a lamb dish and a soup to die for.  Learning by doing, making mistakes, having someone to ask for advice and tasting, tasting, tasting until things were just right.

The following week I found myself inexplicably watching Toy Story 3 in the local cinema.  It has been dubbed one of the top ten weepies for men, so I was prepared.  Apart from being another excellent production visually from Pixar/Disney, it had the typical number of diverse characters, humour and morals for both children and adults. 

The final scene (don’t read the next paragraph, if you don’t want to know the ending) when Andy gives his toys to young Bonnie, before going to college and plays one last time with them, the theme of “use it or loose it” is reinforced.  Andy realises there is no point in keeping the toys as they would have a better time with Bonnie, who would play with them, giving happiness to everyone.

Both the film and cookery school, reinforced the importance of instantly applying what you have learnt, otherwise it will be lost or at best, may take longer to imbed if left too long.  Not everything can be perfect first time out (I still have to remind myself of this) but when there is help close at hand, somehow this can be overcome (I still can’t believe I burnt the onions).

How many times do we promise ourselves at the end of the course – “I must do that when I get back to the office” – only to forget about it or not make the effort.  It has been well documented that 70% of development happens on the job, 20% is training and coaching based and 10% external (e.g. doing voluntary work, coaching a sports team, travel, etc.).

For us, through development programmes, coaching, team interventions, etc, we are working with the 20%.  However, it is only when we collaborate with our partners and clients, and agree to work with the 90% or 100% that we experience development leaps.  Many of you reading this can only influence the 70%.  Wherever you sit, imagine yourself as Woody or Buzz Lightyear, be prepared to follow the dream, prepare for a bumpy ride and fulfil some your development goals this year.

As Buzz Lightyear would say “To infinity and beyond”.

Your Development Goals

If you are thinking of your development goals for the year ahead, be they personal or professional, please write them down somewhere, tell someone or drop me a mail.  That way having told another person, you are more likely to work towards that goal.

For the person with the most interesting or audacious goal (personal or professional) that you let us know about, we are giving away a copy of our book on innovation.

Damian Killen

damian@thrive.ie