Can I Get a "Do over" Holiday 2013 It's been a milestone year for our family. My oldest daughter got married, and the event was a great time of celebration with our family and closest friends. Most importantly, I finally have another guy in the family after all those years of female domination in our household. My wife retired after almost 32 years with the same company, which is almost unheard of in this age of 5-7 job changes in a career. HR Solutions, LLC completed its 17th year of business, and we are so appreciative of the partnership and support from our clients and colleagues over the years. For me and my family, it truly has been another extraordinary year. Someone said to me recently, "Don't you wish that when you were younger you knew then what you know now?" Maybe I would have avoided some of the mistakes I made in life; but, then again, how do you ever learn without taking one on the chin once in a while. When I was a kid playing baseball or football with my friends, if we couldn't agree on whether a pitch was a ball or strike or if we made enough yardage for a first down, we would call a "do over." Overall, I have no regrets, but as another holiday season is upon us I find myself reflecting on what I might have done differently if I could get some "do overs" and turn back the clock. Here are my top ten. If I could do it over: •I would have studied more and partied less in college •I would have saved a little more and spent a little less •I would have kept my first car (a 1966 Chrysler Newport) •I would have read more books and watched less TV •I would have practiced the piano at least twice a week •I would have learned a second language •I would have done a better job of keeping in touch with old friends •I would have played with my kids a little more and worked a little less •I would have spent more time with my Dad before he passed away •And most importantly, I would have said "I love you" to my family more often So college has long been over, my car and the piano are in a landfill somewhere, and my Dad has been gone for some time. My kids have moved away and since my wife retired, I don't think I'll be saving all that much. But I am grateful for the time to "do over" some of the other things on my list in the coming year. Here's hoping that you can too. My best wishes to you and yours for a safe and happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous New Year

Saved By A Blueberry Pie November 2013 One of our close friends had us laughing recently when she told a story of a trip and fall incident that could have resulted in injury but ended up with a humorous twist. While walking back to her car after a quick visit to the grocery store, she tripped over something on the sidewalk and began to fall forward. The groceries she had in hand went flying but somehow a blueberry pie she had bought for dessert that evening strategically fell to the sidewalk in the exact location that her outreached hand went to break her fall. Ironically the pie took the brunt of her encounter, and both our friend and the pie sustained minimal damage. We joked that it's the first time any of us can remember where comfort food served as a protective device. All of us trip and fall at some point in our lives, and the fall is not necessarily one that causes us to skin our knee. Bad choices in relationships, careers, investments, health matters, and sometimes just sheer misfortune can create hazards for our mental and physical well-being. The important thing is having people around you to break your fall and help you back on your feet. Nowhere was this more evident to me than during a recent engagement. Last month, I was asked to provide some career counseling to a young man who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma shortly after graduating college. He spent the last few years trying to build his career while undergoing treatment for the disease. Fortunately, he now appears to be cancer free, and his life and career are back on track. He told me that the experience has enabled him to look at life much differently, and he believes he is now more positive and buoyant than ever before. During our discussion we reviewed some commonly asked interview questions; one of which was, "Tell me about the biggest challenge you ever faced." Clearly this young man's answer to the question will be one that will impress any interviewer and likely be a response he or she has never heard before. His experience, although much more traumatic than my friend's encounter with the pie, was similar in that those closest to him helped break his fall as he coped with his illness. His family and friends were there to prop him up when he first learned of the diagnosis, and their love and support kept him from falling into a state of depression and self- pity during the long course of treatment. He emerged from the ordeal stronger than ever before and with a new-found appreciation for the things in life that really matter. His story makes me thankful for the "blueberry pies" in my life, and I hope all of you take the time to reflect on yours at this special time of the year. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

The Hired Gun- October 2013 Ten years ago I was introduced to Joe, a man who was hired by the company president as the organizations first Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Joe was given responsibility over virtually all of the functional areas of the company except Finance. The company was experiencing declining revenue, and after several years at the helm the president was unsure how to reverse the decline. Rather than relying on the current executive team to address and resolve the problem, Joe was hired. He had worked with the president at a former company, and he knew that Joe was really only good at one thing: breaking down an existing culture through fear and intimidation. Not wanting to communicate the real reason for his hiring, the existing leadership team was told that Joe's primary focus was to "shake things up." Joe's legacy began innocently enough as he started to randomly appear at departmental meetings, asking a question or two and then moving on to the next meeting. After about a month, Joe asked me, "When was the last time we let someone go in this department?" Confused by his question I said, "For a performance issue, probably about a year ago." "No," said Joe, "not for performance or cause, just to create some fear so they work harder." Joe's motive was clear. He was not interested in making processes more efficient or finding new and innovative ways to drive revenue. The president knew he didn't have that ability. What Joe did have was a track record of forcing his will on people to the point that they feared making a decision without his permission. Alternative opinions or ideas contrary to Joe's were dismissed and even punished. A leader who questioned Joe in a meeting or public setting was branded as incompetent and not a team player. The more I think of Joe the more I can't help but draw a comparison to what is happening today with our dysfunctional leadership in Washington. The childish and self-serving behaviors of our legislators closely mimic those of Joe and many of the ineffective leaders I have worked with over the years. Both groups share: •An hugely inflated ego •An inability to truly understand the needs of those they serve •A misguided sense of duty •A lack of humility These characteristics and behaviors create conflict, insecurity, and indecision among all who are exposed to these so-called leaders; but it's not a simple task to convince them that their beliefs and approach are wrong. In their eyes humility is perceived as weakness, and admitting you were wrong is an unspeakable failure. They believe that forcing their ideas on those around them without compromise is the mark of a true leader. In Joe's case, he was specifically hired to do exactly what he accomplished: break down a culture formed over many years at all costs. You can guess how it all turned out. The company's revenue continued its decline, key people left the organization, and those that remained felt desperate and paralyzed. Joe was eventually asked to leave the organization shortly after the president who hired him was released, but the damage was done. Even after new leadership was hired, employees who had lived through this difficult period were mistrusting and guarded. It took some time before Joe's legacy finally wore off and things began to improve. It's always a mystery to me why so many presidents and CEOs feel that "newer is better" when it comes to their executive leadership. One executive described his departure to me as "it was like after 20 years of success, one day I just woke up stupid." We all know people don't get stupid overnight, but desperate leaders are often looking for the quick fix which they believe exists in someone new. However, the ones that can best solve the problems are usually those working right down the hall. If we can help get your executive team back on track, give me a call at 610-287-1162 or email me at phil@hrsolutionsonline.com. We can't help end the government's dysfunction but we can help you with the people in your business.

The Fine Line Between Confidence and Arrogance- September 2013 My consulting practice allows me to interact with many different executives with a variety of personalities and styles. Some are outgoing and gregarious while others are withdrawn and conflict avoidant. I am frequently amazed at how some executives attained leadership positions despite displaying behavior and attitudes that no one should emulate. In many cases they were promoted because they were the best technician or, simply stated, they were the best forklift driver and were elevated to forklift supervisor without really having their leadership skills assessed. Others were selected because their image and self-confidence suggested they were ideal for promotion. In both situations, someone in a position of authority felt that a high level of technical skill or a heaping helping of self-confidence would somehow translate into strong leadership. Unfortunately, placing leaders under this rationale typically fails. The reason he is the best forklift driver is because he feels contentment and self-fulfillment in operating the forklift, but asking him to manage and motivate others is not what drives him. Therefore, without a great deal of coaching and training he will likely fail. Similarly, the overly self- confident individual may lack the tact and humility necessary to garner respect from his or her direct reports. The over confidence will often be perceived as arrogance and, although they are listed on the org chart as the boss, will never truly be viewed as a leader. This fine line between self -confidence and arrogance was never more evident than in my recent interview with a former VP of Sales seeking my advice on a position opportunity he was exploring. After spending the first 20 minutes of our discussion telling me how successful he had been and how desirable he would be to any organization, he finally asked if I had any questions for him. I asked him to tell me about the qualities and attributes of the members of the sales team in his previous job, specifically what were some things that he did to prepare them to succeed and advance their careers. He proceeded to tell me how well liked he was by all of his staff and how the company president had recognized his team for their great sales results. So I rephrased the questions and asked him to think of one person on his team who he felt personally responsible for helping to achieve success. He still didn't get it and continued to tout his own sales prowess and achievement. After our discussion I was reminded of one of sales guru Zig Ziglar's quotes: "You can get everything in life you want if you will help people get what they want." Obviously, this was not a philosophy shared by this gentleman. His inflated ego and self-image prevented him from seeing the importance of using his position and influence to develop the skills and abilities of his team. Somewhere in his career he was taught that to get ahead the only thing that matters is YOU! Over the years he had crossed that fine line between self-confidence and arrogance, and it now may likely prevent him from securing a leadership position in the future. The proven leader balances self-confidence with humility and recognizes that he or she is only as good as the combined skills and abilities of their team. It's a selfless approach and sometimes very difficult to understand for someone who has achieved past success by relying on an arrogant, egocentric demeanor to move up the corporate ladder. By the way, my VP Sales candidate contacted me recently to tell me he is going into business with his brother running a staffing agency. If any of you are interested in hearing him pontificate about his success, let me know. However, if we can assist your leaders and their team challenges please give me a call at 610-287-1162 or email me at phil@hrsolutionsonline.com. We are confident we can help!

One More String of Lights- August 2013 For several years now we have gathered with a group of close friends for a weekend in Ocean City, NJ on what is known as Night in Venice weekend. For those of you unfamiliar with the event, it involves a parade of decorated boats that travel along the bay and surrounding lagoons. Spectators gather to watch the parade and homes along the bay front go all out with their lavish parties and gatherings. By all accounts it's just another excuse for this "dry town" to party on a summer weekend. One member of our group has accumulated quite the collection of decorator string lights that he uses to illuminate his screened in porch. It has become somewhat of a standing challenge each year for my wife and me to find a new unique string for him to add to his collection. It's not like he needs another string of lights since he has so many now that seeing the nest of wires and plugs on his porch would likely cause an electrician to have a heart attack. It's more about the thrill of the hunt and contributing to the overall "messterpiece" of his ever changing ceiling lightshow. Many of the successful business owners I know embrace my friend's collective approach as they look to build a successful team. They take great care to select members of their team that bring specific talents and skills to the organization. Rather than view the addition to the collection as an added or unneeded expense, they believe that each of these team members represents a string of lights that are a bit different from the other and of different shapes and sizes. Together they create something unique and dynamic for the company's future. They know that adding one more string will only makes things brighter. Here's hoping that your team is as bright and cheery as my friend's porch ceiling. If you find that one of your strings has gone dark and you need to find a replacement, give us a call at 610-287-1162 or email me at phil@hrsolutionsonline.com. Enjoy the rest of the summer season.

When a Good Thing Turns Bad- June 2013 Business owners have to make tough decisions every day when it comes to money, people and customers. Most of the time the needs of the business force them to be decisive and follow their convictions; but some owners and executives are fearful of making decisions, even when the outcome would be highly regarded by all concerned. Some time ago I worked with an owner who asked the leadership team to develop a reorganization plan that would provide improved response time and problem resolution for their customers. Based on the team's recommendations and the new staff alignment that resulted from the reorganization, the owner felt it made sense to promote two respected directors, Bill and Steve, to vice president level. The two individuals were advised of the plan and told that it would be announced in the very near future after tying up some loose ends and advising some key stakeholders of the impending changes. Needless to say, both were energized and excited about the promotion and eagerly anticipated the time when they could tell their respective teams. Several weeks went by and the owner had still not made the organizational announcement. He continued to find reasons each week to postpone the event telling the team that the announcement would definitely be made next week. As each week passed, the enthusiasm Bill and Steve once had was gradually becoming anger and resentment. Steve even remarked, "Why is this so hard. I'm starting to feel that the owner doubts my ability and worthiness for the promotion and that's the reason he doesn't want to move forward. How could such a good thing feel so bad?" The owner's procrastination was a direct result of his fear of confrontation. He knew that announcing Bill's and Steve's promotions would be perceived by a few malcontents as unfair and he didn't want to risk confrontation or encounter anyone unhappy with the decision. There was no doubt that he had full confidence in Bill and Steve, but he couldn't overcome his tendency for conflict avoidance. As a result, when the announcement was finally made, neither Bill nor Steve showed much excitement. Both wondered, now that they were executives, how else would they be impacted by the owner's inability to make a decision. Most will agree that being a good leader often requires making unpopular decisions. While everyone won't agree with the decision, they will respect the fact that it has been made. It's great to be a people pleaser when you can but not at the risk of demotivating those that are key performers. Bill and Steve are still working for the owner and have learned how to adapt to his indecisiveness. They have found the best approach is to make the decision and ask for permission later. So far it seems to be working. If we can help your leaders or management team focus on making good things stay good, give us a call at 610-287-1162 or email me at phil@hrsolutionsonline.com. Have a safe and happy summer.

April 2012- Mom's Old Piano Back in the 1950's my mother purchased an upright piano for ten dollars. She had given lessons at our home and taught my sister and me to play, as well. The piano had a special place in our family, having provided the music accompaniment for our family sing-a-longs. Corny by today's standards, but this was the 60's, and family game nights and related events were customary in our household. When my parents downsized, I became the beneficiary of this monstrous piece of furniture, ultimately moving it into 3 different homes. The last time I had it tuned I asked the technician what he thought it might be worth, and he stated he had seen similar instruments sold for as much as $2500. "It still plays well and looks good," he said, "and should make a nice addition to someone's home." The time has come for me to part with Mom's piano, so I began to contact several music stores in the area to get some sense of its worth and how best to sell it. The first store I contacted was the one that had serviced the piano a few years back. The owner asked me to describe the age and condition of the piano, and as soon as I said it was manufactured in 1900 I was told it wasn't worth anything. That was ironic, I told him, since his technician was the same one who estimated its worth. "No one wants something that old" he said. "It's just too hard to keep it tuned up." The next store I contacted told me they only bought and sold Steinway baby grand pianos and that since ours was not a Steinway they weren't interested in even taking the time to see or hear it. So here I have something that looks good and performs well, but because of its age and perceived substandard brand it's considered worthless and undesirable. If you're a baby boomer like my friend Jim and have been looking for a new job, you may see something familiar here. Jim spent many years as the head of operations for a manufacturing company and, over time, the work his company once produced was sent off-shore. Jim's position was ultimately eliminated, and he struggled for over two years to find a suitable position. He made it to the final stages of several interviews only to be told that another candidate had been selected. Jim's research showed that most of the candidates selected were younger and less experienced, but his diligence paid off when he secured a new role with a startup company that produced the same product as his previous company. On his first day the company president took Jim aside and told him that after a long search they were thrilled to find someone with his extensive background to lead the manufacturing for their young company. I advise my clients that age bias in hiring is unlawful, but I'm not naïve enough to think it isn't common or even prevalent in some companies. In most companies a recruiter or staffing specialist is the first point of contact for most applicants. Most of these individuals are in the early stages of their career and are likely in their 20's or 30' s and, let's be honest, people hire in their own image. Therefore, a younger interviewer is less likely to hire an older job applicant than a hiring manager closer to the applicant's own age. Similarly, companies are often enamored with candidates from a specific company who they believe possess the pedigree they are seeking. Internal candidates or those from companies other than the chosen brand are perceived to be "too difficult to get up and running." In many cases the thinking is, "We want a young, Steinway for our position." Now, I admit a young Steinway is sometimes the best choice, depending on the nature of the work and the culture of the organization. Experienced executives who spent a large portion of their career at the same company sometimes have difficulty adapting to a new role, but it's important to avoid stereotyping the older worker into a candidate pool of automatic rejection. Like Jim and Mom's old piano, many of these folks still have a lot of music left and just need someone to give them a sound test to see their true value. If we can help you evaluate your hiring practices and assist in the selection of either a young Steinway or a more seasoned instrument, give us a call at 610-287-1162 or email me at phil@hrsolutionsonline.com for a no obligation consultation. Enjoy the spring season.

Delivering a Difficult Message-March 2013

There are many occasions, both in life and at work, where we are called upon to deliver a difficult message. Those of you that are parents, particularly of teenagers, know the feeling of having to say no to a son or daughter's request to stay home alone for the first time or explain why they can't attend a sleep over or party. Over the course of my career I have conveyed my share of difficult news on layoffs, plant closings, disciplinary events and policy issues. HR folks are often called upon to craft a message or coach others on the delivery of difficult messages, but some leaders are better than others. I recall one such situation with a company president who was extremely conflict avoidant. He and I were scheduled to meet with an executive who was to be released that morning, and we had been rehearsing what each of us would say. We agreed that he would deliver the message and then turn the discussion over to me to review severance, unemployment and other logistical items. When the executive arrived, the President cleared his throat, looked him straight in the eye and stated, "Phil's got something to tell you", after which he promptly left the room. When faced with handling these discussions, I have found that a direct but caring approach has worked best for me. What I mean by that is that it's perfectly ok to let someone know that you have a difficult message to deliver. After all, no one likes to be the bearer of bad news, but avoid prefacing the message with an apology like, "I feel so bad having to tell you this" or "I know you are going to be upset when I tell you this." Those lead-ins only serve to emphasize the emotional aspect of the message and heighten the stress of the situation. Instead, try starting the message with words such as "regrettably" or "unfortunately" to express your sensitivity to the issue. In addition, the clearer you can be on the reason for the difficult message the better. "I'm here to tell you that you're being laid off" is certainly direct but provides no explanation of why this is happening. I tend to say "Unfortunately, due to poor business conditions, the company is forced to reduce staff and yours is one of the positions that is being eliminated." It provides the basis for the decision and, though still unpleasant, doesn't leave the employee wondering why he/she received this information. I have also found that the employee is likely not to hear much else after being told of the layoff or termination. For the remainder of the discussion, most employees will have a difficult time focusing on any of the other items you discuss. Try to be as clear and concise as possible, recognizing that you will likely need to have a follow up conversation with him/her at some future time to review the items they missed. Hopefully, the next time you have to deliver a difficult message to your staff it will go more smoothly than those with your teenager. If we can help you prepare your difficult messages and address your employee issues, give us a call at 610-287-1162, or email me at phil@hrsolutionsonline.com for a no obligation consultation. Have a safe and happy spring!

A Matter of Trust-February 2013

After you've heard lie after lie There can hardly be a question of why....... Cause it's always been a matter of trust Billy Joel "I don't trust this person." What do you say to a manager who says that about one of his co-workers? Someone who he or she has to work with every day. Trust is the foundation of any relationship and without it, a friendship or partnership will fail. In the workplace, a team without trust cannot fully function, employees lose confidence in their leaders and productivity is diminished. I was presented with that statement recently and I have to admit, I was temporarily a bit tongue tied. The person in question, Kelly, a customer support manager, had been caught in a lie on several occasions over the past 6 months. Her reputation had eroded to the point where her fellow managers couldn't rely on her information and answers. The lack of trust resulted in the other managers excluding Kelly from daily business decisions and going out of their way to avoid her. Kelly and the employees she supervised became isolated from the rest of the team and ultimately the decision was made to release her. During the exit interview, Kelly confessed that she had lied to her co-workers in an effort to deflect blame for some recent service breakdowns in her department. She thought that over time, people would forget about the incident but her lying became her defense mechanism and it became a habit she couldn't break. The good news is Kelly's former team began to flourish under the new management. Unlike Kelly, the new manager created an open and caring environment and insisted on having team members assume accountability for their actions. The department's credibility was slowly restored and what started as a disaster, turned out to be quite a success story. One of the best ways to surface comments that employees may otherwise be reluctant to bring to management's attention, is a through a confidential employee survey. Questions can be developed to help identify potential problem areas and an action plan formulated to address them company wide. Call us at 610-287-1162 or email me at phil@hrsolutionsonline.com to learn more.

My Top Ten Holiday"I'll Never" List-December 2012

I've had a great year. Business could always be better and life isn't without its difficult times but overall, both personally and professionally, I've had a great year. Hey, I know that my positive outlook on life isn't for everyone and can even irritate some people, but at this time of year I can't help but reflect on the good things in my life. Many folks I know find the holidays very stressful and depressing, faced with financial difficulties, family obligations, and time restraints. It's easy to focus on the "cons" and lose sight of the "pros." So at a time when many are saying "I'll never get everything done" or "I'll never get through the holidays" here are the top ten on my "I'll never" list that keep me feeling so fortunate every day. I hope, in some small way, it helps you navigate through the stress of the season. •I'll never be rich, but I have everything I need. •I'll never be brilliant, but I'm smart enough to know better. •I'll never be tall, but I can still reach my potential. •I'll never have enough friends, but the ones I have are great. •I'll never be the focus of women's desire, but one woman still loves me. •I'll never have more kids, but the two I have are everything I could want. •I'll never get my hair back, but I still have enough to comb. •I'll never be thin, but most of my clothes still fit. •I'll never be famous, but I'll still be remembered. And last but not least . . . •I'll never be young again, but growing old with the person you love is worth the aches and pains. My best wishes to you and yours for a safe and happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.

The Fallen Willow-November 2012

The wrath of Hurricane Sandy thankfully spared my family. Unlike many others who were without power for several days, experienced severe flooding and property damage and even loss of life, we escaped relatively unscathed. When the weather cleared, my wife and I wandered outside to survey the damage. Sadly, a forty foot weeping willow tree we planted many years ago had been uprooted by the strong winds and lay there in the yard with its severed root ball attached. We had planted several of these trees as saplings but this was the only one that survived. It had been on our property the better part of 20 years and we had seen it flourish and grow. The tree's demise reminded me of how, without continued support and a strong base to rely upon, even people and things that appear indestructible can topple like our willow tree. The fallen willow was also reminiscent of people I have seen hired who were believed to be the answer to a company's prayers. They were vigorously recruited for their perceived strength and expertise in the hope that they would somehow impart those qualities upon the existing employee base that was deemed lacking in skills and abilities. "We need to bring in outside talent" was, and continues to be, a common phrase bandied about during succession planning sessions. To me, that overused phrase is nothing more than a cop out that enables an executive team to abdicate their responsibility to develop and nurture the talent within. They labor under the misconception that it's easier to pin our hopes on the new person than exert the time and effort to cultivate what we already have. Unfortunately, more often than not the superstar candidates turn out to be much less than expected. Unless they are able to become rooted in the company culture and can build support among their co-workers, they simply won't last. They may still project the superficial image of the perfect candidate but ultimately they will leave the organization. Ironically, that same facade will help them secure a new position in another company that believes outside talent is the answer. If we can help you strengthen your employee" willow trees" or find a few new "saplings" to grow your company, give us a call at 610-287-1162 or email me at phil@hrsolutionsonline.com. From my family to yours, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving and please keep those still suffering from the effects of the storm in your thoughts and prayers.

False Friends-September 2012

I am truly blessed to have a group of great friends. These are the friends with whom you have gone on vacation, celebrated good times and milestone events together with your children and families, and been there for consolation during difficult times. You have so many memories together that even though you may not see them for long periods of time, when you finally get together the conversation and laughter begin immediately. Unless you are eating or sleeping, there is rarely a time when you have nothing to talk about. These are the people who truly care aboutyou and like you for who you are, faults and all. Over the course of my career I have developed many close relationships with co-workers that have become lasting friends. There are others, however, that I refer to as false friends; those who feign friendship for the personal gain it may bring them through their relationship with you. Such was the case I recently encountered with an employee I'll refer to as Dan who found out the false friends he cultivated over the years weren't there when he needed them most. Dan had a history of verbally disrespecting employees, but he had convinced the owners of the company that what some affected employees called disrespect was really his passion to provide clients the best customer service and, in turn, create revenue for the company. It's true that Dan received high marks from the clients he served, and he felt that their satisfaction ultimately outweighed any mistreatment he doled out to employees to get the job done. The owners knew that Dan had difficulty managing people, and rather than confront the issue they periodically reduced his management responsibility when affected employees he supervised either resigned or threatened to leave. Despite his behavior, they were reluctant to formally discipline him for fear of impacting revenue and client relationships. Over the course of the last year, Dan befriended two new executives who joined the company, and, in the true fashion of a false friend, touted their relationship as "The Three Amigos" in an effort to gain their support. The new leaders, eager to be successful in their new roles, eagerly accepted Dan's praise and camaraderie. The false friendship worked for a while, even allowing Dan to collect a bonus for completing a project that required collaboration with the two executives. But Dan couldn't hide who he really was and on several occasions deflected blame and denied any knowledge or responsibility for issues that were solely his fault. The other two amigos quickly realized they were being used and that Dan's motives were clearly self- serving and disingenuous. Dan had another one of his outbursts that led to the resignation of a key employee, and the owners finally realized he was more of a problem than an asset. When asked by the owners, his executive co-workers told the owner they could no longer work with him and that if he was allowed to remain in his role many more of their staff would eventually leave. The owners had little choice but to release Dan for the overall good of the organization. Dan's plan to advance his career and fool senior management by cultivating false friends quickly unraveled and ultimately led to his separation from the company. The organization is a healthier place since his departure, and many are now asking why it took so long for Dan to be asked to leave. It's never a pleasant task to terminate an employee, but it becomes a bit more justifiable when the person has demonstrated a lack of integrity and credibility. It's clear that false friendships simply can't help those who only care about themselves.

Arriving at the Crossroad-August 2012

This time of year my wife and I are always looking for new routes to and from the Jersey shore that have the least traffic. Over the years we have experimented with our departure time but have yet to find the right window that works on a regular basis. I have a low threshold for sitting in traffic; and when it occurs, the drive can be agonizing for both of us. Recently, I took a friends suggestion to try a "back roads" route home on a Sunday night. We were progressing nicely through the woods and eventually came to a crossroad. I wasn't quite sure where I was, and my male pride wouldn't let me use the GPS on my phone so I made a decision to turn right. After traveling 20 miles out of our way it became evident I took the wrong route. We eventually made it home 30 minutes later than we would have had I taken the road to the left. Had I demonstrated some patience and humility and objectively considered the information at my disposal, I likely would have made a different decision. My experience reminded me of a former co-worker who was eager to climb the corporate ladder at any cost. He was, by nature, a decent guy who was a people oriented manager and wanted to do the right thing for the organization. But his desire for more status, more money, and more power caused him to change into someone very different. He believed that in order to reflect the appropriatepersona of an executive he had to bully others, deflect blame, and always posture things as his idea. He wanted authority with no accountability, which never works for very long. Ultimately, he was deemed unfit to continue in his role after alienating his staff and his peers and was asked to leave the organization. He has struggled reclaim a management role in another company that allows him to return to the financial level and status he grew accustomed to. Like my trip back from the shore, he made a decision at the crossroad that proved to be one driven by all the wrong reasons. Despite being told he was headed down the wrong road, hecontinued in that direction until he became truly lost. I am fortunate to interact with many highly skilled and intelligent workers at the client companies I serve. Some of those workershave discussed their leadership aspirations with me and asked for my suggestions on their respective career paths. Many are at the crossroad of deciding whether to change roles, ask for more responsibility, or stay in their current job and gain more experience. It's a difficult decision for many of these future leaders as they struggle to balance their career aspirations with the reality of a lack of readiness for the next level of responsibility. The majority of these individuals are Generation Y'ers who have been raised by baby boomer parents like me and told they can do or be anything they choose. They are confident and ambitious, yet many have been in the workplace a very short time. My advice to them is pretty simple; make the effort to learn from those around you and treat your direct reports and co-workers as you want to be treated. Most important, stay true to who you really are. Follow the rules and understand the culture of the company but don't let your core values becompromised for the sake of advancement. My co-worker's experience is proof that changing yourself to fit someone else's image is not a long term strategy for success. My hope for these future leaders is that there is a one-way sign at their crossroad that keeps them on the right path.

The Many Faces of Sacrifice-May 2012

My family recently took a trip to Nashville to cheer my daughter on in running her second marathon. My wife and elected to drive rather than fly to visit some of the towns along the way. Sadly, the economic downturn of the last few years clearly took its toll on many of the places we visited. Towns that had spent several years in a revitalization effort were now littered with vacant stores and boarded up buildings. It was evident that many folks had sacrificed their hopes and dreams and were now faced with the task of rebuilding their lives. During the 13 hour drive to the race, while my wife was playing "Words with Friends" on her Droid, I had plenty of time to reflect on the issue of sacrifice as it relates to both career and life activities. On the personal side, my daughter had sacrificed a tremendous amount of time in training, pushed her body to the breaking point, and ultimately accomplished a great feat by running 26.2 miles. My older daughter sacrificed time away from work and lesson planning to accompany us and cheer on her sister. Even my wife and I even made considerable sacrifice by forfeiting the king sized bed in our room to our daughters and sleeping on a sleeper sofa that I wanted to set afire by the end of our stay. From a business perspective, I know that many of my clients make personal sacrifices to keep their employees working and their companies afloat. I have often heard them speak of times when they delayed a home mortgage payment to make payroll or took a loan on their personal credit card because they didn't want to adversely impact their employees. These types of self-less acts go unpublicized and unnoticed, but they occur frequently. The owners feel a moral obligation to protect their employees and I believe this is a primary reason why so many folks I know would rather work for a small company than a large one. So the next time your find yourself angry or upset about a company decision or change in policy, look at it as your individual sacrifice in the face of all of the past sacrifices your employer has made to keep you there. You may not be aware of their past sacrifices but you can be assured that many have taken place for your benefit. So despite your frustration keep in mind that as is the case with so many things in life, your career isn't a sprint but a marathon.

Customer Service-The New Oxymoron

A friend and I were recently commiserating over lunch about the demise of customer service in the work place. Clearly, "customer service" has become an oxymoron like, "jumbo shrimp" and "vegetarian meatballs". Having worked with retail industry clients for many years, I empathize with the HR folks who must find people that have the ability to effectively interact with a customer and create a positive experience. Finding workers with an outgoing personality and who enjoy helping people is a daunting task particularly when paying a minimum wage salary. In most cases the business owner is more concerned with having the necessary staff coverage and minimizing payroll than providing superior customer service. It is even more challenging for those businesses that are seasonal in nature and rely on a few months of revenue to carry them through the year. But those friendly people are out there and when an employer is successful in finding that individual with personality and a service orientation, customer satisfaction and ultimately revenue can increase substantially. Here's what I mean. I stopped to get gas the other morning and approached the cashier to pre-pay. I said "Good morning" and her response was "What do you need?" My first inclination was to say, I need you to drop the attitude but I responded by asking for $50 on pump number 8. She took my money and gave me my change, at which time I said "Thank you". Her response was "Yup." Silly me, I was unaware that the rules of etiquette had changed and "Yup" is now the recommended response to "thank you." Later that day I stopped to buy a birthday card. This time, I received no verbal response at all to my "hello" or my "thank you". To satisfy myself that this person could actually speak, I lingered a bit longer in the store until I witnessed her talking on her cell phone, confirming my belief that her lack of service was intentional and not due to some form of mutism. Here's what I mean. I stopped to get gas the other morning and approached the cashier to pre-pay. I said "Good morning" and her response was "What do you need?" My first inclination was to say, I need you to drop the attitude but I responded by asking for $50 on pump number 8. She took my money and gave me my change, at which time I said "Thank you". Her response was "Yup." Silly me, I was unaware that the rules of etiquette had changed and "Yup" is now the recommended response to "thank you." Later that day I stopped to buy a birthday card. This time, I received no verbal response at all to my "hello" or my "thank you". To satisfy myself that this person could actually speak, I lingered a bit longer in the store until I witnessed her talking on her cell phone, confirming my belief that her lack of service was intentional and not due to some form of mutism. I was convinced that customer service was indeed dead, until my faith in the workforce of the future was partially restored. That weekend, a group of us were in Ocean City, NJ and we went to dinner at one of the restaurants on the Boardwalk. We were a party of eight, and based on the fact that it was a tourist destination, I was anticipating the worst in customer service. Surprisingly, the college student who waited on our table was pleasant, helpful and engaging. She exceeded our expectations just by being friendly and service oriented. Mind you, we're not talking about over the top, Disney experience service but rather, someone who welcomes you, says thank you and tells you to have a nice day. The bar has been set so low that just by doing her job, our waitress received a generous gratuity and our sincere thanks. So why the distinct difference in these levels of service? One could make the argument that there may be some socio-economic difference or personal issues that separate the pleasant from the miserable. It could also be argued that training may have been provided in one environment and not in the other. While both arguments have some merit, I believe that the hiring and selection process is the key component. I have seen many examples of "hiring in haste" to simply fill a schedule slot or add staff. The interviewer tends to focus his or her questions on availability, previous experience and pay rate without ever asking the situational or behavioral questions that provide valuable insight into the candidate's proficiency in dealing with customers. What they get is a candidate willing to accept $8 per hour to work weekends with no customer service skills. In the end, things can get "pretty ugly." Here's hoping you get super service at your next outing and not just a "Yup." If we can help your business in hiring and selecting the best and the brightest please give us a call at 610-287-1162. Enjoy the rest of the summer.