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.