SourceCon 2010: It’s Not About the Bike

by hr bartender on March 16, 2010

I’m spending this week in beautiful San Diego attending SourceCon and ERE Expo.  The weather is lovely and I’m reconnecting with old friends and making some new ones.

Yesterday wrapped up the first part of the trip, being SourceCon.  If you’re not familiar with this conference, it’s about providing education and information in the area of candidate sourcing.  And while I’m not a sourcer per se, I learned some new tips and tricks about internet search and social media that I can’t wait to take back to the office.

The there were three real takeaways for me about the relationship between people and technology.  Yes, sourcers use a lot of technology-based tools.  It was amazing.  But my learnings apply to anyone, not just sourcers:

Technology is a tool.  Shally Steckerl, from Arbita Consulting and Education Services, said it during his opening remarks.  Technology helps us do our jobs fast and better.  But they are just tools.  And we, as individuals, aren’t the tools.  The tools need us to make them work – and work properly.

Technology should be personalized.  Eric Jaquith mentioned that the technology tools he uses are perfect for him.  They might not be for everyone.  It’s about what works for him and makes him productive.  Shouldn’t that be what technology looks like in our companies?  Each person should have the tools that make them the most productive.

I love the part of Eric’s session where he talked about tricking out his PC for his maximum productivity.  I wonder if companies will ever get to the point where they stop giving everyone the same old set of programs and let their employees run wild.

Technology is not a substitute for talking.  Lastly, I had the pleasure of hearing Terri Coligan and Gail Houston from Intuit talk about the development and implementation of Intuit’s social media recruiting strategy.  Again, while they talked about tools, they also discussed the importance of connecting and engaging on a real level with people.

The day reminded me of the title of Lance Armstrong’s biography, “It’s Not about the Bike.” You can have the greatest tools in the world and it doesn’t guarantee you success.  It’s understanding the tools and using the tools effectively that brings success.

And it’s not a replacement for a good old-school conversation.

This is one training consultant that had a great time at SourceCon.  Cheers!

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Office Gossip and Rumors

by hr bartender on March 15, 2010

Many people view gossip as a bad thing.  And as such, they make every attempt to ban anything remotely resembling gossip in the workplace.  I agree that back-stabbing and undermining behavior are totally inappropriate and unacceptable and should be stopped.  We can probably all agree on that.

But, thinking you can eliminate gossip is naïve.  Again, I’m not talking about nasty comments here.  If people make mean-spirited remarks about their co-workers, then you deal with it.  By holding the employee accountable and coaching. You don’t write a policy banning gossip in the workplace . . because there’s no way you can effectively enforce it.

In thinking about it, I’m not sure you really want to completely eliminate gossip.  I’d suggest that, instead of spending energy to eradicate gossip, learn how to leverage it.  That’s right.  Use it to your advantage.  The informal channels of company communication (aka gossip, rumor mill, grapevine, whatever you want to call it) can be valuable every once in awhile.

For example, let’s say you have a message you want the masses to start hearing…but you’re not in an official position to write a memo or have a meeting.  Letting gossip get the word out, can be a good thing.  The rumor mill can start getting people comfortable with the idea.  Then when you do make that official announcement, people say “I had a hunch it was coming.”

If it’s negative behavior you’re trying to eliminate – then that’s simple – do the right thing.  People have little to talk about when everyone is doing what they’re supposed to. And, instead of declaring the grapevine your enemy, make it a friend and use it to your advantage.

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St. Patrick’s Day

March 12, 2010

Next week is St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday rich in history and tradition.  If you think this celebration is all about green bagels and beer, I’d suggest checking out the Wikipedia page for more info.
Mr. B and I typically like to find some sports bar or pub to celebrate.  But this year I’ll be in [...]

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Chain of Command

March 11, 2010

I always enjoy debates about the chain of command concept.  I’ve found most people are completely fine with chain of command as long as things are good (for them).  The minute situations turn sour, then employees question why chain of command exists.
Obviously, there are two directions in the chain of command.  Up and down.  Most [...]

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Performance Metrics: Beyond the Numbers

March 9, 2010

Peter Drucker once said, “What gets measured, gets managed.”  It’s very true.  Tracking the numbers is essential to running your business.  But it’s also important to not just calculate numbers. You need to have a good understanding of what they mean.
I’ve always enjoyed math and accounting, so I’ve never really shied away from formulas.  But [...]

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Crappy Swag and Other Happenings

March 8, 2010

Couple of exciting things happened recently that I wanted to share:
First, I was honored by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) with their media award.  This is really cool.  When I think of media, I think of television/radio/newspaper.  To be recognized as a blogger in the media category, well…I think it’s very forward [...]

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7 Types of Power in the Workplace

March 4, 2010

There’s a quote by Margaret Thatcher that says, “Power is like being a lady…if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”  Personally, I find the study of power fascinating.  Dictionary.com defines power as “a person or thing that possesses or exercises authority or influence”.  So in essence when we use power; we’re utilizing [...]

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