Sharlyn J. Lauby's Blog, page 156

Degrees of Company Transparency

A few years back, transparency was a very popular topic of conversation. To the point where many felt company transparency had jumped the shark. Then it sorta stopped being discussed at all.

Well, the transparency conversation is back.

During this year’s Great Place to Work conference, I heard several speakers talk about the importance of transparency within their organizations. But I also heard a new dynamic in the company transparency conversation. Transparency can be good and not-so-good.

We have a tendency to think all transparency is good transparency and that might not be the case. In thinking about the concept that there are degrees of company transparency, I ran across this post on TLNT.com titled, “The Ugly Side of Transparency in the Workplace.” It’s a good read about the potential pitfalls of a transparent culture.

It’s important to note that acknowledging the potential downside to transparency isn’t an endorsement for being secretive. It’s also not a justification for not being transparent. Understanding the downside to transparency is an opportunity for self-awareness and education. Employees need to know what good transparency and not-so-good transparency look like.

Examples of good company transparency include public praise and sharing project information with everyone in the organization. Examples of not-so-good transparency are publicly shaming someone (even if they deserve the harsh words) and breaching confidences. Transparency is about being open but it’s also about practicing good judgement.

In looking back at the evolution of transparency, I wonder if one of the reasons that it left and has returned is because we’ve gotten smarter about it. By that I mean both the sender and receiver of information have benefited from the transparency conversation over the years. Both parties understand that transparency isn’t where someone is entitled to know “every thing about everything.” Transparency is about open communication, without surprises, that is delivered in an authentic and respectful way.

Speakers at the Great Place to Work conference reminded me that transparency is important. It tells customers, candidates and employees that they can trust the organization. It’s the foundation of the organization’s brand. Companies have reinitiated the transparency conversation and, this time, I’m not sure it will turn into a buzzword. I think it’s here to stay.

Image taken by Sharlyn Lauby in Miami’s Wynwood District

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Can You Bring Your Mother To a Meeting With #HR – Ask HR Bartender

While some people might read the title of this post and ask, “Really?!” The truth is “Really.” Employees often get very nervous when asked to a private meeting with human resources or their supervisor. And the employee wants someone there for comfort…as evidenced by this reader note.

Can you have someone sit in on a meeting between you and your supervisor? The situation is that an employee asked if her mother could attend the meeting, fearing that she would be in a hostile situation. The employee is under 21 years of age.

When the employee asked their supervisor if her mother could, she was told it was “illegal” since she is over 18. Is that true? I have never heard of such I thing. Why can’t an employee no matter what age have a witness present should there be a problem – or even if there is no problem?

This is not an unusual situation at all. I’ve been asked the question several times. To offer some insights, I asked employment attorney Donna Ballman, author of the award-winning book “Stand Up for Yourself Without Getting Fired: Resolve Workplace Crises Before You Quit, Get Axed or Sue the Bastards.” Her blog on employee-side employment law issues, Screw You Guys, I’m Going Home, has been named one of the American Bar Association’s 100 best legal blogs for the past five years.

I’m delighted to welcome Donna to HR Bartender and thankful that she’s willing to take the time to do this. Please remember she does have a full-time job that I’m sure keeps her busy. Donna’s comments should not be construed as legal advice or as pertaining to any specific factual situations. If you have detailed questions, they should be addressed directly with your friendly neighborhood labor attorney.

Donna, can an employee (regardless of age) have someone present when they’re meeting with their supervisor and/or HR? Does this change for union/non-union environments? Are there state laws that might come into play?

[Ballman] What you’re probably thinking of is something called Weingarten rights, which is from a case unsurprisingly called NLRB v. J. Weingarten, Inc., 420 US 251 (1975). In that case, the Supreme Court said it was an unfair labor practice to deny union representation in a pre-disciplinary meeting. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has flip-flopped on whether or not this applies to non-union employees. The latest seems to be that it does not.

On the other hand, the employer’s claim that it is illegal to have someone present as a witness is ludicrous. There is no such law.

I don’t know of any state laws which require more than Weingarten does. While the NLRB may change back to allowing non-union employees to have a witness, right now employers only are required to allow witnesses in a union shop.

If an employee can legally have someone sit in, what are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so? And who should be the “invited party”?

[Ballman] If you can have a witness, then it may make sense to do so. Sometimes employers claim employees did or said certain things in meetings that resulted in termination. If your witness can confirm that you did nothing insubordinate, didn’t go on the screaming and cursing rampage the employer claims, then that could help. Also, since you may be in shock if you are being disciplined or fired, it is good to have another set of eyes and ears.

As to whom you should invite, I’d say invite a coworker you trust not to blab your business everywhere, but who would be reliable. You also want to make sure that your witness is not prone to outbursts or violence that could make your situation worse.

Truthfully, if the employee is an adult I think having mom come is a bit much.

The reader tells us the employee’s age. Does age factor into having “invited guests” to meetings?

[Ballman] If you have a minor employee or someone with a disability that may require assistance, then having a parent present makes sense. I don’t know of any legal requirement for this, but it could actually benefit both employer and employee to invite a parent to sit in with a minor or disabled employee. First of all, being alone behind closed doors with a minor could invite all kinds of accusations of employer misconduct that could be avoided with a parent or coworker friend as a witness. Second, with someone who does not have a developed sense of self-control or knowledge of how a workplace actually functions, having some parental guidance may defuse the situation.

One of the things that struck me about this note is the assumption that a meeting with HR and your supervisor translates into something bad is going to happen (and therefore, you need to bring someone with you.) Even if there’s an investigation going on, it doesn’t have to be this way. What can organizations do to make these meetings less tense?

[Ballman] It’s the same thing I tell my kids. If the text message starts with, “I’m in the hospital,” then I’m going to freak out. Start out, instead, with, “I’m okay.” Then give the message. With HR, employees are probably going to assume the worst. If you have a meeting to schedule, tell what it is about. Start with, “It’s nothing bad,” or, “I have some good news to discuss,” or, “We need to meet about a company policy change.”

If it’s a disciplinary meeting, sometimes allowing the employee to have a silent witness may help ease the tension, so think about allowing it even if you aren’t legally required to do so. Think about how you would want to be treated under the same circumstances. Why not have a humane policy that will boost morale company-wide?

Last question, I was surprised by the supervisor’s response that bringing a witness was “illegal.” You’ve already told us it’s not. But even if it was, there’s probably a better way to handle the question. What should supervisors do when employees ask for witnesses in meetings?

[Ballman] Have a set policy and follow it. Why not put it in the handbook, since the issue comes up a lot. If you decide there are no witnesses, don’t make exceptions. If you do allow witnesses, set guidelines such as no outbursts, no violence, no threats. If the witness causes problems, ask them to leave.

If the employee is legally entitled to a witness, you have to stop the meeting and allow them time to get their witness. You can continue the investigation without interviewing the employee. If there is a meeting that may lead to discipline, make sure you allow the witness to be present or you can face consequences from the NLRB.

My thanks to Donna for sharing her knowledge with us. Please be sure to check out her other writings on The Huffington Post and follow her on Twitter as @EmployeeAtty.

Meetings with management or human resources don’t have to be scary. Companies should communicate intentions clearly so any conversation with an employee is open, honest and productive.

Image taken by Sharlyn Lauby while wandering the streets of Key West

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Developing An Intentional Learning Culture

One of the words I’m starting to hear at conferences and in business conversations is “intentional.” It means, of course, to do something on purpose or to be deliberate. Professionals are talking about having intentional discussions within the business or to implement something intentionally.

While on one hand you might question, “Shouldn’t everything be done intentionally?”, I think the addition of the word intentional is to add emphasis. It implies that the business thought about their options, discussed everything that needed to be discussed, and came to this decision. As a result, resources are being allocated to make it successful. It wasn’t taken lightly.

I found a great example of “intentional” decision making at Southwest Airlines. This Fall, I will be speaking at CPP’s MBTI© Users Conference. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality inventory designed to help individuals recognize their preferences and increase self-awareness. It is used by 89 of the Fortune 100 Companies. Also speaking at the event is Chris Robbins, senior program leader with Southwest Airlines University and a learning performance professional with over thirty years of experience. In his role at Southwest, he is focused on the professional development of the University’s 300+ staff.

I asked Chris if he would share with us some insights about the Southwest learning organization and, thankfully, he said yes.

Chris, give us a brief description of Southwest Airlines University and its role in the organization.

[Robbins] Southwest Airlines University is the single-source for training and development for our 54,000 Southwest Airlines (SWA) employees! It’s responsible for all training, except technical operations and flight operations (mechanics and pilots, respectfully; required due to maintaining their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certifications, although we do train their instructors and new hires in our orientation). Our 300+ SWA University instructors and training support staff are responsible for all initial and recurrent training in our new 500,000sf facility in Dallas as well as in every city we serve.

You mentioned that Southwest Airlines University has recently undergone a big change, can you offer some frame of reference for what the prior university was like?

[Robbins] Sure! In 2013, Southwest centralized training for consistency and shared services due in large part to our acquisition of AirTran Airways and their 8,000 employees . We saw the opportunity to further develop our instructors and developers and provide additional growth opportunities. Centralization also allowed us to develop consistent training policies, procedures, and project management for new training requests, such as our new reservations system and over-water procedures required for our new international service. While the mission remained the same, we transitioned from the ‘University for People’ to ‘Southwest Airlines University.’ 

In the past, each operational group had its own training department. For example, if you were hired to work at an airport as a ramp agent (baggage handler), customer service agent (at the ticket counter or gate), or provisioning agent (stocking drinks and snacks), you attended ground operations training in Dallas for your initial coursework and skills development, regardless of the city in which you were going to work.

If you wanted to become a flight attendant, you attended inflight training in Dallas before being assigned a ‘base’ (aka home city) in our network. If you were hired for one of our call centers as a customer representative (reservations sales and customer support), you attended initial training in your city, with content designed and delivered by customer support and services training. Even if you already possessed FAA certification as a licensed mechanic or pilot, you attended technical operations training or flight operations training in Dallas on our policies and procedures and on our aircraft.

After initial training, employees would attend ongoing required recurrent training at their locations on policy and procedure changes, CPR and first aid, and federal topics such as safety and airport security. This training was developed and delivered by each operational training group for their employees.

Separate from the operational groups, the University for People was the leadership and employee training and development team. We were responsible for all personal and professional development, including new hire orientation (every employee spent their first day in training with us, learning our history and culture), leadership development, elective courses (communications and other self-development topics), computer training (i.e. Microsoft Office suite), and facilitated meetings or intact workgroup teambuilding sessions such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI.)

Speaking of MBTI, both of us are speaking at this year’s MBTI Users Conference in September. I don’t want to give away your session; but can you share with us a bit about the “Leadership: Southwest Style” program (where MBTI is used.)

[Robbins] I’m proud to represent Southwest Airlines University, and grateful for the opportunity to share my passion for the MBTI! Leadership: Southwest Style (LSS) is our foundational leadership program for newly hired or promoted frontline leaders. We use the MBTI to help them understand and appreciate the differences in preferences in people that they’ll be leading and supporting.

But it doesn’t stop there. Once a leader has attended LSS, they often are so enthusiastic about the learning that they request their whole team go through the MBTI. We have offered various workshops for over 20 years, including Step I, Step II, In the Grip, and other custom sessions for intact workgroups.

One of the first things that caught my attention in the case study was the term “intentional learners.” What is an intentional learner and how does Southwest position employees to become intentional learners?

[Robbins] Intentionality is a reflection or manifestation of an adult learner’s independence. As stated in our company Mission Statement, our employees have an “equal opportunity for learning and personal growth.” We want people to take advantage of those opportunities, so we invite and encourage rather than demand or coerce. Some training is required, but we spend a lot of time and effort helping employees establish relevancy for themselves in their roles. We find people will learn more and actually apply what they learn if they’re treated as intentional and independent learners, and not treated like ‘prisoners’ or ‘vacationers.’

Outside of class, Southwest employees are encouraged to be creative and innovative to improve our effectiveness (another part of our Mission). We provide opportunities for employees to do a ‘Day in the Field’ and shadow or work alongside other employees in an area of interest. This way, they get to see what it’s like to ‘walk a mile’ in someone else’s shoes. Even if they don’t change jobs, participants have a deeper understanding and appreciation for different work groups and how they contribute to our success.

When it comes to learning, a lot has been said about how different generations view training and development. I can see this being especially true in transportation. The industry has the benefit of long-term employees and is growing, bringing young professionals into the field. How does Southwest Airlines University support their culture with a diverse workforce?

We have a proud and large work population that have made Southwest ‘home.’ In fact, we have less than 3 percent annual turnover! Many of our employees have been here 20+ years (myself included.)

That being said, we’re also hiring approximately 7,000 new folks each year, mostly GenX or Millennials. And, we’ll be seeing GenZ at work in just a few years! I developed a Generational Differences session in 2005, and it’s been updated and delivered to a variety of groups over the years. We often include a discussion about Type in that session since so many of our employees have been through a MBTI workshop. But it all comes down to living our values, including respecting others and following the Golden Rule .

Last question, here at HR Bartender, we try to do serious work but not take ourselves too seriously. Southwest Airlines is known for fun. Since we’re talking about learning, do you have a fun learning tip that you can share with readers?

[Robbins] That’s another one of our values! We take our jobs very seriously (we’d better – inherent risks abound in our industry), but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Just look at pictures of our Chairman, President, and CEO, Gary Kelly , dressed up for Halloween!

We value FUN reviews and icebreakers interspersed throughout our training sessions. A favorite is the ball toss review. After an information sharing session, have small groups of 4-6 circle-up, and gently toss a ball to each other while lively music plays. When the music stops (much like the game hot potato), the person with the ball must answer a question about what was just covered to their group. Repeat until everyone has had the chance to answer a review question.

We do another called snow ball fight – each learner writes a question related to what was just covered on a blank sheet of paper, along with their name at the top. Once they’re done, they get into a large circle, wad up the paper with their question into a tight ball, and throw their ‘snow balls’ at others in the circle while winter/holiday music plays. Once the music stops, they pick up a ‘snow ball’, find the author, and answer the question to the author’s satisfaction.

In fact, we teach these activities and many more to our instructors in a program I lead called Instructor Essentials. We discuss ‘Training: Southwest Style’ as being fun, engaging, and energizing for instructor and learner alike – we call it ‘professionalism, worn lightly.’

My thanks to Chris for sharing his professional expertise and a couple of training activities with us. I know I will be trying these out during my next training session. Regardless of your industry, being intentional is important. It sends the message that communication and decisions were well thought out and planned.

Oh and speaking of planning, if you’re a MBTI professional and looking to expand your knowledge of the inventory, consider joining us at CPP’s MBTI© Users Conference in San Francisco on September 26-28, 2016. I expect this to be one of those events where you learn just as much about yourself as you learn to share with others. It should be a fabulous time.

Southwest logo and mission used with permission.

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Some Distractions Are Not Welcome [infographic] – Friday Distraction

Years ago, we started this series called the Friday Distraction because we thought that, by the end of the workweek, we’re all looking for a little distraction. It might be a workplace cartoon, a few websites to check out, or an infographic with some relevant statistics. The goal was to step away from the intensity of work, so we can return and refocus.

But according to this infographic from Bamboo HR, not all distractions are created equal. As you can guess, texting, social media and water cooler conversation are top workplace distractions. The one that surprised me was taking bathroom breaks – really? It’s number two on the list (um, no pun intended.)

I did find the section comparing what employees and employers feel are “welcome” distractions to be quite interesting. The top two workplace distractions for employees were taking breaks and lunch. Which makes me wonder – why are those viewed as welcome distractions? Shouldn’t employees expect to have lunches and breaks? Employees also mentioned listening to music and I can see this being a controversial one, especially around machinery. When I worked in hotels, a regular conversation occurred about kitchen staff playing music and whether it would impact safety.

And I must admit that employees saying office gossip was a welcome distraction confuses me. Many people feel that office gossip is destructive and hurtful, how can that be a welcome distraction?

On the other hand, employers seem to be anti-technology with social media and the internet ranking in the top five things that hinder productivity. I’m reminded that technology itself isn’t the problem. It’s holding people accountable. If an employee isn’t getting their work done because they spend too much time on the internet, it’s not the internet’s fault. I also thought the “talking with friends” falls into the same category. Having friends at work is a good thing and can enhance employee engagement. It’s about holding employees accountable for getting the work done.

I’m certainly not questioning Bamboo HR’s findings. I’m confident that people actually said this. The takeaway is that, when we think about creating a welcome distraction to our workday, it needs to be a legit distraction. Not an excuse to simply shirk our responsibilities.

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Company Purpose and Passion Are Always Changing

I was listening to a panel discussion recently on the future of work. The panel was asked, “What will organizations NOT be talking about in the future?” The panel responded with “purpose and passion”. Because once the organization buys-into it, the conversation is over.

Some would argue that a company’s purpose is different from its mission, vision or values. I read an article in Harvard Business Review that defined purpose as “what we’re doing for someone else.” Purpose has more of a customer-centric focus. Passion is an emotion and can be defined as the energy that fulfills the company purpose.

Using those definitions, I get it. Once everyone agrees on the organization’s purpose and identifies the passions (both individual and team) that will fulfil the purpose…the conversation is done.

At least for a little while.

The way I see it, the company purpose could evolve over time. If you look at the Harvard Business Review article, it mentions that insurance company IAG’s purpose is “To help people manage risk and recover from the hardship of unexpected loss.” A good purpose. But what if they decide their purpose is to educate people so they don’t have to deal with losses in the first place? That’s a change.

Now, I’m not suggesting that IAG change its purpose. The point is that any organization can. And if they decide to make that change, then the passion piece changes too. Which means conversations need to happen.

In fact, maybe organizations should want to talk about their passion and purpose on a regular basis. I have to think that companies don’t want to keep it a secret. Sales, marketing, and human resources talk about passion and purpose with customers and candidates. So a consistent discussion to make sure that passion and purpose are aligned could be very beneficial to the entire organization.

I understand that all the talk about company purpose and passion can come across as a bit sappy. I’ve heard those conversations too. But honestly, it’s supposed to. Purpose and passion are supposed to be motivational and engaging. Which is why I think companies should talk about them regularly.

Because if you don’t talk about them, how engaging are they really? And will the company be able to accomplish them after all?

Image taken by Sharlyn Lauby (stats courtesy of SAP SuccessFactors) at the HR Technology Conference

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Every Decision Is Not a Consensus Building Exercise

(Editor’s Note: Today’s post is brought to you by ITM Group, Inc. , a consulting firm focused on training solutions that will help engage and retain employees. ITM Group has been named one of the top small businesses in South Florida. Check out their white paper “3 Ways to Tell if Your Company needs Leadership Training.” Enjoy the post!)

Every day we have to make decisions. Both on an individual level as well as part of a group or team. Some of the decisions we make are so trivial that we don’t even focus on them like “should I hit the snooze button one more time” or “red or white wine with dinner”. But others are much more serious and it’s those serious decisions that tell others about our ability to be a manager and leader.

There are two components to decision making. The first is decision adequacy, meaning how good the decision is. The other is commitment, referring to the number of people who support the decision. The thing to keep in mind is, when it comes to decision making, a high degree of one does not translate into a high degree of the other. We can have great decisions that no one supports and bad decisions that everyone supports.

Also found within the decision making dynamic is the way each of us as individuals reach “the decision.” People fall into four categories:

Individual #1 – Those who make decisions too quickly. These people want the decision “done and over with” so they can move on to something else. You know who those people are: they’re the ones that interview one person and decide to hire them just so they can say they’ve got an employee. They’re also the ones that decide to fire someone before they hear the other side of the story. For us HR Pros, we’re constantly reeling them in or playing ‘devil’s advocate’ to make sure they’ve considered everything before they run off and do something they might later regret.

Individual #2 – By contrast, these are the people who don’t make decisions at all. This type of person can actually cause the most harm to your organization. They believe that, by not making a decision, nothing can go wrong. EPIC FAIL. People who hold out making a decision hoping for that one additional piece of information to hit them over the head and tell them exactly what to do are creating a bigger problem. They stop the organization from functioning. It’s impossible to agonize over every little tidbit to make sure each piece is considered equally in the thought process. The reality is, with most decisions, we might never get all the information.

Individual #3 – Those who turn individual decisions into group decisions (aka country club decision making.) Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for teamwork and building consensus but, truth be told…some decisions need to be made by one person (and only one person.) It’s important to know what decisions can and should be made by individuals and which ones need team input. We’ve all seen what happens when a leader turns to the group to make a decision they should have made on their own…that’s how nightmare meetings are born.

Obviously Individual #4 is the person who can filter through the information and make the right call based upon the whole story. That’s the art of decision making – knowing who needs to make the decision, how much authority they have, and what information needs to be considered.

In order to be effective both as an individual and in a team environment, we should be a blend of all styles. For example, we should make decisions quickly during times of crisis. We should demonstrate independent thought as well as ask for team feedback at the proper moments. And, whenever possible, we should hold off making decisions until we believe all the information is on the table.

Organizations should not feel guilty if every decision isn’t a consensus building activity. It’s not supposed to be. Consensus building activities should be reserved for those times when having both a high level of decision adequacy and a high level of commitment are critical for success.

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Managers: Vulnerability Creates Trust

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Great Place to Work conference in San Diego. This is my third year attending the event – always lots of great takeaways. I can’t wait to share them all with you this year.

The theme of the conference was “trust.” It’s an important subject and we’ve talked about it a lot over the years. During the conference, I spoke with Great Place to Work CEO Michael C. Bush and asked him if the concept of trust has changed over time. While he said that the basic tenets of trust haven’t changed, “people’s expectations are higher where trust is concerned.”

Here’s an example that happened later during the event that brings the higher expectations comment to reality. I was chatting with Sharon Price John, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, and she mentioned how vulnerability creates trust and how that can sometimes be a challenge for managers. Often NOT being vulnerable is a valued characteristic among those in management. NOT demonstrating vulnerability can be what gets you the promotion to senior management and the C-Suite. But then, let’s face it, we want to think of our managers as strong, capable, with the power to get things done. So managers become conflicted.

There needs to be a connection between what managers need today and what they need to take the organization to the next level. And that’s trust. The way we build trust is by being vulnerable.

It’s by letting our guard down. We have to be comfortable telling the people around us that we don’t know all the answers. We need to tell people when we’re tired and need time to decompress.


It’s making mistakes and learning from them. Allowing people around us to give feedback that will make our performance better.


It’s acceptable to disagree and still respect each other. Learning how to express differing viewpoints and reach consensus or compromise requires a high degree of trust.

I’m reminded of a book by Marshall Goldsmith titled, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.” Our skills as a manager should be constantly evolving. Being a manager doesn’t require just one skill set. There are times when managers need to show they’re not vulnerable. And moments when they need to show the organization their vulnerability. It’s figuring out that right balance that creates trust. People today expect managers to be able to do this and build trust at every level of the organization.

Image taken by Sharlyn Lauby onboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California

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Productivity Is King – Friday Distraction

The term productivity gets tossed around a lot. But do we really know what it means? Productivity is a state of producing something. It also refers to the effectiveness of an effort, as in the output versus input. Productivity is about outcomes. It’s about using minimum input to achieve maximum output.

So productivity is important. I once worked for a company that tracked the productivity of each of their locations. They decided that the productivity metric needed to be XX. Each month, they produced a report that listed every location and its productivity measurement. Also on the report was a line – named after the person who determined the productivity measurement. For the story, we’ll call it the Smith line.

Every month, we got our reports from corporate HQ and every month we anxiously awaited finding out if we were above or below the Smith line. Below the line meant creating a SMART plan that would show how we planned to get ourselves above the Smith line. (Side note: We did a lot of SMART plans. That’s how I learned about the importance of productivity.)

That’s why this Time Well Spent from our friends at Kronos caught my eye. Knowing your productivity is important.

I don’t want to say that we should always be productive because that’s not true. When I’m working on a hobby, I don’t want to be productive. I also don’t focus on productivity during vacation, unless it’s to figure out how many fun things I can do in the short amount of time I have. But from a business perspective, we should know productivity. I’d wager to say employees don’t want to work for companies that aren’t productive. It’s a waste of their time.

For organizations to be successful, they need to know how they are producing products and services. That ties into profits. And profits determine if your successful – and above the Smith line!

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The 10 Habits of High-Performing Employees

I’ve never worked with an organization that said they didn’t care about performance. Quite the contrary, I’ve always worked with organizations that cared about performance. A lot. Specifically, they wanted high-performance. In individuals and in teams.

But what does it take to identify a high performing (HiPo) employee? And once you’ve identified them, how can managers continue to develop their skills and abilities? HiPo employees have some habits that set them apart.

They have their own system. Whether it’s a morning routine, a mindfulness ritual, a bullet journal, etc., HiPo employees have their own way of staying grounded and organized. It helps them stay focused on what’s important, so they can perform.


They listen to others – for feedback, suggestions, and proven strategies. High performing employees take-in information. It could be about their performance. Or a speaker during a conference with a tip or resource. Possibly a co-worker explaining a strategy that worked for them.


They hold themselves accountable. Always focused on quality, HiPo employees keep their word. If for whatever reason, they cannot deliver, then they renegotiate the deliverable. People who work with high-performers know exactly what to expect.


They are focused on the positive. This isn’t to say that everything around them is always positive. But when given a choice between celebration or cynicism, they find a way to look on the bright side. This outlook helps HiPo employees stay engaged with their work.


They will accept a challenge. And often don’t need to be told. High performing employees are willing to take on tough tasks. They are ready to solve problems. Many times, they are the employees bringing you the problem and the solution.


They set their own goals. Along with stretch goals. HiPo employees have goals. Not only the goals that the company sets for them. They have their own goals. In addition, high-performers set stretch goals. Maybe to finish the project early or under budget. They look for opportunities to exceed expectations.


They learn from their mistakes. Speaking of accomplishments, HiPo employees don’t always achieve their goals. But they do use those moments to reflect and learn from the situation. They don’t view the moment as failure. It’s an opportunity (see Habit #4.)


They know how to manage their time. This ties into Habit #1. HiPo employees are able to perform at their level because they understand their personal working style and how to get things done. This includes saying “no” at times so they don’t disappoint. Or negotiating commitments and setting clear expectations.


They’re committed to their own personal development. High-performers are not complacent when it comes to new skills. HiPo employees learn something every single day. It doesn’t need to be a breakthrough discovery. They understand that learning takes place in small iterations.


They’re highly engaged and willing to commit to the organization. Several of these habits point to an individual who is happily engaged with their work and the company around them. They perform at a high level because the organization is invested in their success. HiPo employees build a working relationship based on trust and respect.

While it’s important to keep the entire workforce engaged, it’s particularly important to keep high performing employees engaged. High performing employees are often selected for the company’s succession plan. Research from CEB shows that organizations with strong leadership can double their revenue and profits. So those HiPo employees are the key to future business growth.

The 10 Habits of High Performing Employees
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Does your management team know how to recognize the habits of a HiPo employee? What should they be looking for?

Image taken by Sharlyn Lauby on the streets of South Florida

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Employees: You Need to Read This

Some of the best things about technology are the traditions they’re challenging. We’re beginning to change the way we do business because technology solutions allow us to do things differently. But traditions are kinda hard to change.

Take, for instance, the employee handbook. Companies have been writing, printing and distributing employee handbooks for decades. The question becomes, are they valuable? Is there another way to provide employees the same information without killing a bunch of trees? Even if you’re storing the handbook online, you get my point. Employee handbooks are time consuming and expensive to produce.

And there’s a perception that employees don’t read them. I once had a boss who joked we should print the employee handbook on toilet paper and put it in the employee restrooms. That would insure the document was read. Again, I emphasize that he was joking.

I bring up the challenges with employee handbook because a friend of mine recently shared the story of a human resources manager who was getting considerable pushback from senior management about the need to have new hires sign for both the employee handbook and a whole bunch of separate policies (i.e. EEO policy, anti-harassment policy, PTO and attendance policy,  I-9 policy, etc.)

This is a situation HR pros have dealt with for years. Human resources creates an employee handbook to protect the company. Let me add, HR doesn’t want to insult employees’ intelligence so they don’t read it to them. Meanwhile, employees are excited to start their new job. They’re making work friends and getting to know their new boss. So that 50-something page handbook gets shoved to the side. Employees swear they will read it someday. Well, maybe they do. Okay, they probably don’t.

Then, an incident happens. The employee’s manager goes to HR. During a meeting with the employee, HR and the manager explain that a rule has been broken or a policy not followed and there are consequences. That’s when an employee confesses that they forgot to read the handbook.

Now the company has a dilemma. If they cut the employee some slack, the company gets accused of not being compliant and consistent. And, depending upon the situation, the company can be liable. If the company enforces the policy or procedure, then the company can also be liable because the employee wasn’t properly informed of the handbook contents or policy guidelines. So HR doubles down and has the employee not only sign for the handbook but some of the individual policies in the handbook.

Larry Perlman, senior counsel with the firm of Foley & Lardner LLP, did a great job of explaining it from a legal point of view. “Employment law is like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, with nobody around to see it – if it isn’t in writing, assume it didn’t happen. That’s why written handbook policies are such a valuable tool. An employee claims that she was unaware of the open door policy, under which she could have reported harassment to a myriad of people? Show her the handbook she signed. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is requiring you to circulate a non-discrimination policy. Show them the handbook. Another employee claims he was not provided with information as to how to seek FMLA leave. Again, turn to the handbook.”

You might be saying to yourself, okay – I get it. But why did you title this post “Employees: You Need to Read This”? Well, because it all comes down to employees placing a value on paperwork. Do HR people understand that reading the employee handbook isn’t the same as reading “Game of Thrones”? Yes, they do. Do HR people want to spend their time creating, printing, and filing a bunch of documents? No, they don’t.

Every company has a core set of rules that comprise their culture. Some of them are required by law and others determined internally. Organizations want to know that employees understand the rules. Because when employees understand the rules, they can focus on being successful at work.

So for everyone’s sake (but mostly yours), read the employee handbook. And keep a copy someplace where you can regularly access it for reference.

Image taken by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking at the BlogHer Conference

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