Talent: Making People Your Competitive Advantage

About the Author

Professor Lawler is currently the director of the Center for Effective Organizations at USC and teaches at the USC Marshall School of Business.  He has authored or coauthored more than 43 books and his articles have been featured in numerous magazines and journals. In addition, he was named one of the country’s leading management experts by BusinessWeek magazine, and Human Resource Executive magazine deemed him one of HR’s most influential people. Moreover, Professor Lawler has appeared on Today, CNN, MSNBC, and CNBC. He is the recipient of many awards including SHRM’s Michael R. Losey award. He has also worked as a consultant to various governments and many Fortune 100 companies.

Talent: Making People Your Competitive Advantage is a must-have book for the HR professional.  In order for our organizations to be competitive, we must realize that our employees are, like the old cliché goes, “our most important assets.” Yet, we have to do more than just say this, we must implement actions that measure and show it. In other words, we must develop a strategy that will make our organization human-capital-centric. And this is why Professor Lawler’s book is essential to the HR professional. It provides us with every tool we need to make the transition to a human-capital-centric organization and a give our organization that competitive advantage. 

The book is divided into ten sections. They are as follows:

1.     Talent Matters

2.     Making the Right Management Choice

3.     Designing Organizations

4.     Managing Talent

5.     Managing Performance

6.     Information and Decision Making

7.     Reinventing HR (Yes, a total chapter written for us)

8.     Governing Corporations

9.     Leading

10.  Managing Change

As you can see from this list, Professor Lawler covers every critical aspect necessary to managing our organization’s talent. In addition, he provides us with a detailed roadmap for implementing an effective talent management program. Thus, if we were not an expert in the field of talent management before reading his book, we would be after.

 

Although every chapter is insightful with personal anecdotes from some of America’s top businesses, who are on the forefront of talent management, it is obvious that the most important chapter for us is Chapter 7: “Reinventing HR.” This chapter begins with Professor Lawler describing the HR department in most organizations as an “administrative function.”  However, in an HC-centric organization, the HR department has to move away from this role toward that of organizing and managing talent. Those HR departments that fail to take on this role will probably find their department being eliminated or powerless—not a pretty picture.

 

In the section, “Administrative Demands”, there is a story of a CEO at one company who refers to the HR function as the “BPU—the business prevention unit.” His reasoning: HR only tells him what and why he can’t do things rather than how and what he can do better within the law and regulations. I doubt the HR department at his organization is allowed to participate in many business strategy sessions. What do you think?

 

I really like the section, “What HR Should Do?”  In this section, Professor Lawler challenges us to stop using the term “business partners.” We don’t hear the people in finance and marketing referring to themselves as “business partners.”  So, why should we? Using this term as a descriptor for our department only encourages the rest of the company to consider, and emphasize, all the things that may make us seem as though we are NOT a ‘business partner.” It is better to say that we add “more value.” Yet, we just can’t say this, we have to show it. Hence, if we continue to play the role of “administrator,” we will never be seen as a department that adds value.

 

Now, the question is: “How do we add value?” The answer: we collect and analyze data. In other words, we use metrics. When it comes to conversations about strategy, the heads of finance and marketing come to the meeting with data. Thus, so should we. If we do not come with this same type of data, we probably will not have a major role, or say, in strategy formulation and implementation and thereby giving up our chance to “add value.”

 

Of all the sections, my favorite is, by far, the section, “Staffing HR.” This is because Professor Lawler presents a fictitious help-wanted add for an HR executive in a HC-centric organization. This is what it would look like:

Help Wanted

Need an HR executive who will think like a brand manager for the 200 Executive Group.

Qualifications:

–Driver of change

–Business acumen

–Excellent judgment about people

–Courageous, able to stand up to line managers

–Persuasive, but good listener

–Trusted by senior line executives

–Enabler of tough decisions

–Outstanding subject-matter-expert

 

Based on these qualifications, how many of us would get the job? It’s something we should all strive to achieve—the Executive position.

 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

 

In a 2004 Conference Board Study, 65 percent of the companies surveyed stated that talent management had become “dramatically or considerably more important” since 2001. According to a 2008 survey by “Human Resource Executive” magazine for its yearly Forecast issue, it was found that HR leaders will continue to focus on talent-management issues in the coming years.   The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics has determined that “as early as 2010 there won’t be enough workers to staff the nation’s jobs.” 

 

Based on these facts, it is evident that our success, and our organization’s success, depends on effectively managing our talent. Thus, unless you are already a guru in the field of talent management, I would  highly suggest that buy a copy of Professor Lawler’s book–our survival, as HR professionals, depends on it.

 

Will You Be Chosen for the Promotion?

The goal of every HR practitioner should be to get promoted. If it’s not, then our goal should be to get a bigger and better raise. Now, the questions is: How do we do that?  Well, I recently read an article by Alison Green featured in “U.S. News and World Report,” and I truly believe that if the HR practitioner follows her advice, we will be chosen for the promotion.

In her article, ”10 Ways to Make Your Boss Love You,” Alison outlines ten things that can be done to get our boss to love us. Of course, we are not talking about the romantic definition of the word, but rather, the definition that means “ to value.”  In other words, Green’s article could easily have been titled, “10 Ways to Make Your Boss Value You.” Obviously, if we can get our boss to value the work we do, it will, more than likely, lead to a promotion or a raise.

Here are the 10 habits outlined in Alison’s article:

1.    Keep track of everything your boss delegates to you. Our boss shouldn’t have to follow up to make sure the things delegated to us get done. After all, that’s what we are being paid to do.

2.    Stay on top of things. In other words, over organized. Can you imagine loosing an employee’s statement crucial to a pending discrimination claim? It wouldn’t be a call I would like to make to my boss! And, it probably wouldn’t be for you.

3.    Discuss his/her expectations frequently. Failing to know your boss’s expectations, is like trying to hit the bull’s-eye on a moving target—it will never happen. Similarly, if we don’t know what our boss expects, how can we meet and exceed his/her expectations?

4.    When you have a problem, come with a solution. The HR practitioner frequently works in grey areas. Thus, we often have some hesitation when it comes to making decisions that could have such a significant impact on a person’s life and the organization. Now, it’s okay to present the problem to our boss for assistance. However, at the same time we present a problem, we also need to present a solution. Then, seek the boss’s affirmation for our solution.

5.    Give him/her all the facts. Many of you have probably heard about the case called the “Cat’s Paw.” In this case, the HR Manager decides to fire an employee she doesn’t know based solely on the information provided to her from the supervisor. Later, it turns out that the person she fires is an African-American. In addition, the supervisor has a history of making racist comments and treating the Whites and Hispanics less harshly. Of course, the supervisor conveniently failed to provide the HR Manager with this information. If we fail to provide our boss with all the facts, the fallout could destroy our career. Don’t be the “cat’s paw.”

6.    If you make a mistake, own up to it. We all make mistakes. However, some people start blaming everything and everyone for a mistake that was clearly his/her fault. When we make a mistake, own it, and then, fix it.

7.    Learn what’s important to him/her. We all know that it may sometimes be very difficult to figure this out even after our boss has told us what he/she expects. This is frequently caused by a “business brainwash.” In other words, he/she may say that certain things are important, because this is what has been mandated by the organization, but his/her actions suggest something different.  Thus, it’s our responsibility to find out what is really important to him/her by paying attention to the questions we are asked and observing those actions that either get praised or get reprimanded.

8.    Listen to feedback, and don’t get defensive. I feel that I am very good at giving feedback, because the session usually ends on a positive note, and the employee, or peer, begins changing their behavior(s). Thus, it just amazes me when you attempt to give an employee, or peer, feedback and they get defensive. In some instances, they even attacked me. If our boss takes the time to give us some feedback, appreciate it, listen to it, and incorporate it. Never! Never! Argue!

9.    Speak up when you need to, but make sure it’s the right time. I almost always spend the first 30 minutes of my day reviewing my calendar and planning what I am going to do for the day. Thus, if someone comes to me with an issue during this time, I probably seem a little frazzled and probably don’t respond in the same manner I would after my 30 minute planning session. As they say goes, “timing is everything.”

10.     Bosses are people too. Everyone likes to feel that they are appreciated, and your boss is no exception. However, make sure it is honest and sincere. Otherwise, you’ll seem like a schmoozer and he/she will probably deem you a looser.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

          Although this post is about getting our boss to love (value) us, I think it also provides us with a roadmap to effectively manage our bosses in our role as the subordinate.  We all know it’s our boss who determines whether or not we get that promotion or that juicy raise. Thus, it only makes sense that we follow Alison’s advice and think of it as another tool in our career strategy cache.   

 

 

 

 

Ethics 4 Everyone

About Scott 

Scott Airitam is the President and CEO of Leadership Systems www.leadershipsystemsonline.com. A company he founded in 1997. His list of clients include: Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation, Fujitsu, and many others. In addition, he was one of the founding members of Southwest Airlines’ infamous University for People. Scott is also the co-author of the popular book, “Ethics 4 Everyone.” He graduated from Dallas Baptist University with a degree in Management and Sociology.  

  

Ethics 4 Everyone     

As the title says, “ethics [are] for everyone.” In fact, if every employee followed the guidelines outlined by Scott and Eric, the HR professional wouldn’t ever have to do an investigation again—wouldn’t that be nice? Unfortunately, we all know that this will probably never happen. Yet, if we could get just a small portion of our workforce to follow Scott and Eric’s suggestions, our job would be a lot easier, and there would be more time to focus on contributing to our organization’s business strategy. 

 

The book is divided into five sections:

 

1.   Knowing What’s Right. There are two types of laws that are applicable at work. They are: “everybody oughta know” and those related specifically to your business, industry and profession.

2.   Doing What’s Right. You’ll know you’re doing the right thing if you adhere to the 3 R’s: Respect, Responsibility, and Results. This means that you have to watch the little things (e.g. the commitments you make and keep. or don’t keep).   

3.  Managing Competing Rights. We may be faced with making a decision between two rights—an “ethical dilemma.”  If you are faced with this dilemma, do the following: 1) Eliminate the conflict, 2) Decided what’s “more right”, and 3) Seek Assistance.

4.  Everything Counts. There is no such thing as an “ethics buffet.” In other words, you can’t pick and choose when, where, which or how you want to adhere to a personal or professional code. It’s an all-the-time practice.

5.  Closing Thoughts. Ethical adherence makes good business sense. When everyone is following a common set of standards, employees tend to be more productive, more focused, and more cooperative. Furthermore, the organization is more respected and more appealing to customers. This, of course, creates more customer loyalty, an enhanced brand, and greater revenue. 

 

I have to say that I have read numerous books on ethics. In addition, I took an ethics class for a full semester during graduate school. However, I learned more about ethics from Scott and Eric’s book than I ever did from all those books and the class I took combined. “Ethics 4 Everyone” is the most comprehensive book on ethics out there. And, if you, like myself, would rather spend time on the things that contribute more to your personal brand than doing investigations all day, than you need to get a copy of “Ethics 4 Everyone.”

 

If you are interested in purchasing Scott and Eric’s book, click on the following link: www.leadershipsystemsonline.com. Purchasing the book through Scott’s website will be cheaper than purchasing it from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

 

Also, I would highly recommend using Scott to facilitate an Ethics Training Class at your organization. I attended his workshop, “Ethics 24/7”© and found it to be very insightful, useful, and very engaging. As a former teacher, it takes a lot for a facilitator to impress me, and I have to say, Scott did it.

Soaring On Your Strengths

     Do you want to get promoted, make more money, or land your dream job? If your answer is “yes”, than I recommend that you pick up a copy of Robin Ryan’s book, “Soaring on Your Strengths.”

     As one of America’s top career counselors, Robin’s book gives you a step-by-step process to help you identify your natural strengths and use these natural strengths to differentiate yourself and create a “brand you.”

    After interviewing and gathering data from some of America’s top companies, Robin found that the person who gets that promotion, or dream job, is the person who is the best at defining their personal brand. Yet, many of us don’t really know how, and that’s okay, because Robin’s book can teach you how.

     I know that there are thousands of books out there offering career advice. So, why do I like Robin’s? I think it is due to the fact that each section provides precise action steps and exercises to help you identify your strengths and use them to promote your personal brand and help you get that coveted promotion. Furthermore, the information is practical and very down-to-earth, which is kind of what I am trying to provide with my blog.     

     Thus, if you’re looking for a great resource for putting yourself on the fast-track, promotional ladder, or you’re looking to land that perfect job, or find a career you truly love, then I would urge you to get a coy of Robin’s book, “Soaring on Your Strengths.”

Couture Choas and Talent Managment

Recently, I decided that I was tired of not having a qualified and competent internal candidate to fill a couple of open positions–as we all know, you never really know what you are going to get when you hire from the outside. As a result, I concluded that I would have to create some sort of process to ensure that I had an ample amount of qualified internal candidates from which to choose from. In other words, I would have to learn how to “manage our talent.” Hence, began my quest for learning more about this process that would hopefully get me the talent our organization needed to meet our business objectives. 

     Although I had heard about talent management before, I have to admit that I really wasn’t sure what it was, nor was I familiar with its purpose. As you can imagine, I had to do a little research. During my research, I found that one of the key components is succession planning. For those of you who don’t know, it is making sure everyone from the bottom up has a replacement–although most of the time it is used more for senior level positions. Can you imagine a company without a CEO? After all, the CEO is the one who is suppose to be leading the company. They are in charge. Not having someone at the company helm making the hard decisions would undoubtedly make investors nervous. Thus, not having a replacement would definitely have an impact on the bottom line. For this reason, it has become a hot topic in the business community.

     As I was doing my research, I came across this interesting article in the Wall Street Journal that I found applicable to the reasons for have a succession plan. It is about the death of Gianfranco Ferre. A famous Italian fashion designer, and founder of the label Ferre, who died very unexpectedly without having groomed someone to takeover. 

     The article also mentions the Chief Executive saying, in an recent interview, that the fact that Mr. Ferre still designs for the brand is a crucial part of the brand image. With this in mind, it seems that someone would have thought about preparing for Ferre’s death and maybe discussed a few what-if-scenarios. It will interesting to see how the death of this designer affects the company. 

IMPORTANCE TO HR 

     In a 2007 poll of 209 HR professionals, it was found that in ranking HR activities critical to their businesses’ success during the next 24 months, respondents put talent management at the top of their agendas, with roughly 75 percent saying it was very important.  

     I think if we were to ask the HR Practitioners who responded to this poll their reasons for putting talent management at the top of the priority list, we would find that it’s about making money. After all, people are the biggest part of costs. Thus, it makes sense that the savvy HR Practitioner would do everything they can to manage this cost by having the right amount of people with the right skills in the right jobs. If there is a mismatch, it can lead to costly layoffs and losing your talent development investments. 

     If you’re interested in reading the entire article mentioned in this blog, here is the link:  Gianfranco Ferre

The Art of Personal Branding

 

If there is one thing this year’s presidential campaigns have taught us, it’s the power of personal branding. This is evident in the fact that Hillary Clinton was the presumptive democratic presidential candidate up to Obama’s win in Iowa.  And I think we can all agree, it was due to Obama’s uncanny ability to brand himself early on as the candidate for change.

            “It’s time for me—and you—to take a lesson from the big brands, a lesson that’s true for anyone who’s interested in what it takes to stand out and prosper in the new world of work,” says Tom Peters, in his 1997 article, “Brand You” for Fast Company magazine. A message echoed by almost all career counselors. Peters goes on to say, “Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called YOU.” So the question is, “How do we go about creating a personal brand?”

On his blog and website, Harvey Palmer, describes three steps for creating your personal brand. They are:

1. DEFINE-your strengths, weaknesses, talents, skills and passion (If you need help, pick up a copy of Tom Rath’s Strength Finder 2.0).
2. PLAN-your action plan to develop and promote Your Personal Brand.
3. PERFORM-how you measure, challenge, and review the effectiveness of your Personal Brand.

     He goes on to say, that these three steps go hand-in-hand with what he defines as the “personal branding elements.” The personal branding elements are:

1. PHYSCIAL-how you interact, your image your confidence, your charisma.
2. INTELLECTUAL-your knowledge, your experience, your insights and ideas, your education.
3. PRINCIPLE-your principles, your code of conduct, your integrity.
4. ACTUAL-your actions, your output, how you meet the needs of others.

     As I read the fourth element: actual. I couldn’t help thinking how important it is, because a lot of organizations and individuals believe that their personal brand will remain strong forever without any changes. I feel that this is a big mistake.

     In a recent article, I read that Oprah’s television show ratings and her magazine sales have dropped dramatically. If you watch her show today, it really hasn’t changed much over the last five years. Conversely, the ratings for Ellen’s have risen. Oprah hasn’t done a good job of continuing to meet the needs of others (her audience). Thus, once you have established your brand, it’s just as important to manage it and improve it. 

IMPORTANCE TO HR

Personal branding is an essential part of your career success. It is even more important to the HR practitioner since we do not generate quantitative revenue. You must determine how you, as the HR practitioner, can add value and then start establishing yourself as the expert in that field. Use the steps outlined by Luke Harvey-Palmer and start building “ME Inc.”