How to Develop Your Leadership Pipeline
In every company's growth, there comes a time when a company needs new and highly qualified leaders to take their company to the next level of success. At this moment in each company's growth, HR Directors have two options: develop leaders from within the company or hire new leaders from outside the company.
NEHRA Awarded the SHRM 2006 Pinnacle Award
for "NEHRA: The Voice of HR" on BostonWorks.com's Hiring Hub.
Click link above for full details on this prestigious honor.
Creating Unwavering Commitment on Your Team
Many strategies and change initiatives fail to be executed effectively due to lack of commitment. Leaders must relentlessly pursue two key drivers of team commitment to ensure everyone is cohesively aligned around key initiatives and rowing in the same direction.
Seven Ways to Motivate Employees 
Motivating employees today requires getting back to basics. Here are seven methods.
The "Micromessages" that Impact Collegial Relationships and the Bottom Line
Your boss mispronounces your name and it?s not the first time, your team leader glances at his watch every time you contribute in a meeting, your co-worker always reads her email when you try to have an important conversation with her. These are all examples of Microinequities or negative micromessages.
What Is Conflict Costing Your Company? The Value of a Comprehensive Employment Dispute Resolution System
How are conflicts dealt with in your company? What do employees do when they feel dissatisfied, harassed, discriminated against or just plain frustrated? How much does unresolved conflict cost your company? It?s probably more than you think. This article takes a close look at the costs of conflict and explores how a comprehensive employment dispute resolution system can improve employee morale and increase productivity.
Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Teamwork provides one of the few sustainable competitive advantages for organizations, yet it is largely untapped in most organizations. Learn about the five most common and destructive pitfalls of teams outlined by best selling author Patrick Lencioni in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and what leaders can do to minimize the confusion, politics, and unproductive behavior that prevent so many organizations from realizing their potential.
The High Cost of Underperformance
Increasing employee engagement can increase your bottom line.
Domestic and Foreign Outsourcing on the Rise According to NEHRA Survey
New data from a recent NEHRA survey indicates outsourcing is on the rise.
The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: Why It Matters More than Personality
This article will help shed some light on what EQ is, how it is different than personality, and how it has proven to impact the bottom line in the workplace.
Crafting An HR Scorecard That Works
The Ten Dimensions of an Effective Measurement System
Recent interviews with senior executives asked them to rate the issues most important to them. Among the most frequent responses was the need to measure the effectiveness and ROI of their HR organizations.
Being Smart About Emotions
Emotional intelligence can be defined as an intelligence, it can be objectively measured, and its skills can be taught.
Motivating Employees The Fad-Free Way
For human resources professionals and managers who are serious about having an engaged, motivated, loyal workforce, its time to jettison the magical thinking and - in the words of pop culture icon Dr. Phil - get real.
Predictable Predictions
In 2005, the HR executive will have to take the lead in building and sustaining a culture that keeps people.
When Everyone Is Engaged and Committed, Execution Happens and Everyone Wins!
Have you ever noticed that every company's strategy is a winning strategy? Well, if every company has a winning strategy, then why doesn't everybody win? The differentiator is in the execution.
Myth of Empowerment-
The People Problem
If empowerment is to work, HR
leaders must leverage their organizations
willingness to transfer authority
by building diagnostic approaches
that help connect what is expected
with a clear understanding of who has
the skills, and what development they
will need to get you there. Determine
their willingness, understanding of
the goals, and ability to manage the
empowerment opportunity. Then
enable them to get it done right.
Corporate Performance Depends on the Effectiveness of a Company's
Human Resource Function
The following article summarizes the results of an HR study that distinguished the characteristics between an effective HR organization and a less-effective HR organization.
Beyond the Legacy
Best Practices of HR Leaders Today
As the research clearly shows, todays effective HR leaders are taking a fundamentally different approach to leadership.
Learn to Live Without
the Play Book
It didnt take me long to recognize a familiar pattern: In the cool, calm, clear moment of the classroom, experts make all the sense in the world. But in the pandemonium of reality, sometimes you just have to toss the book and wing it.
Succession Management: How to Create an Inclusive Program
That Works
Many times there are solid pieces of succession planning programs in place inside a company, but the overall strategy that ties it all together and really impacts the business is missing.
The Next-Generation HR Scorecard The Case For Human Capital Analytics
Taking HR benchmarking to the next level - transforming it into a continuous analytical process that can guide executive decisions - means developing a system that can provide an accurate, real-time picture of the organization's human performance, as well as meaningful insights on how HR activities affect the success of the larger organization.
Why International Assignments Fail and What Employers Can Do About It
For employers, providing initial and ongoing support for expatriate workers before and during assignments may make the difference between a successful and a failed assignment. In a recent study of more than 700 expatriate workers around the world, nearly 40 percent felt their employers did not do an adequate job preparing them for their international assignment.
Capturing the Essence of Your Workforce Strategy
The workforce or talent strategy is a clear, concise action plan, which outlines how you acquire, cultivate, retain and organize the talent needed to execute your business strategy. It describes the core knowledge, skills and behaviors required by the organization. This article introduces the first few steps in developing an effective workforce strategy within the context of your business.
HR With an Attitude
Getting a Seat at the Table
Unless you are located in a cave, it is impossible for you not to have heard your organization proclaim that people are your greatest asset. With that as the mantra, how is it that the professionals whose role it is to hire, train, retain, motivate and develop these assets are not valued members of the executive teams and are rarely invited to a seat at the business roundtable?
Turning Your HR Department Into a Start-up Professional Services Firm
Here is the question that you ought to ponder: What is that world going to do to HR? Quite simply, it is going to change it beyond recognition.
How To Be A Legitimate Agent of Change and Why Most Change Agents Don't Change a Thing
Making Intangibles Tangible Through
Human Resources
For HR to add value, we must shift our orientation. Value is defined by the receiver more than the giver. As givers, HR professionals give many things
hiring, staffing, training, rewards, communication, coaching, and so forth. However, to fully appreciate the value of HR, we need to start with the receivers. Receivers are those who gain value from the work done by HR. Receivers may be employees affected by HR practices, line managers who shape company directions or a senior executive who values market capitalization. For HR to add value, we must show how our work links to their needs.
Creating The Right Motivational Climate
We all know that people are different. Many people have only one way to interact with their work associates or subordinates. The reason for this might be as simple as they've only developed one method for interacting. Or perhaps they haven't realized the need to adjust their interaction style to match the other person's behavior style.
True Leadership - How leadership principles of the US Armed forces can be adapted for your business
Leadership - a necessary quality that is key to your organization's success. Among your supervisors and managers, using the best leadership ideals should be the standard. Not the type of leadership that comes from buzzwords or complicated concepts that cloud the idea of what real leaders need to know. The type of leadership we are speaking about is the true essence of leadership - the ability to positively influence and guide your employees to a goal.
The Leaders on the Line
Usually, an organization can function effectively for some time if a strategic thinking leader, like a president or CEO, is absent, but if his/her secretary, a production coordinator, a nursing or accounting supervisor is absent, a person who performs the day-to-day tasks of the organization, you can find yourselves floundering - unable to get the information you need, or finding too many things left undone. These are the people on whom we have come to depend, yet these same people are the ones we leave to struggle for the information they need to be more effective in their roles. We depend on them, yet we often forget them - until we need something.
Bosses From Hell
The boss from hell can really create havoc in your life. Not only does this person threaten your psychological well being, but he or she can actually threaten your financial well being by setting you up to lose your job.
So, the question is; How do you handle a really difficult boss? Here are some guidelines.
Gatti & Associates 2002 Survey Results
What are the top five key skills, competencies, and/or characteristics necessary for the human resources professional in the 21st century?
SURVEY RESULTS:
Top Five Competencies for Human Resources Professionals
Business Acumen: The knowledge and understanding of business fundamentals. (28.5%)
Leadership Skills: The ability to consult, coach, influence and inspire. (19.3%)
Ability to Think and Act Strategically and Innovatively: To anticipate the future and originate a path forward. (18%)
Technical Human Resources Competence: More than a passing knowledge of each key component of the human resources organization. (17.7%)
Operating as a Change Agent: The ability to instigate and manage the change process. (16.6%)
Survey of HR Professionals FOR HR Professionals
How do human resource professionals really feel about their jobs?
HR professionals are employees too. Read the Executive Summary Report of a special "Survey of HR Professionals FOR HR Professionals" conducted by The Discovery Group of Sharon, MA. 425 HR professionals responded to a survey that asked:
- How HR Professionals Feel About their Jobs;
- How HR Professionals Feel About their Role in their Organization;
- What HR Professionals Feel are the Most Challenging Aspects of their Work; and
- The Career Plans of HR Professionals.
HR Planning for the New "New" Economy
It sure feels like another "new economy," at least for a time. What does this mean for the human resources profession? The most obvious impact may be an increase in the cost focus of the contribution of the function. What changes will this shift create? For some organizations, a rebalancing of activity will occur away from acquiring new talent to building capability with existing talent. There are others, of course, and other macro influences that must be considered, and they each impact organizations at several levels.
Using The Bootstrapping Mindset Of Entrepreneurs To Keep Currencies Flowing
As Susan puts it, in virtually every family she knows, including her own, at least one person is presently without a traditional job. Many such professionals have been out of work for a number of months, and have few job prospects on the horizon. If you're one of these professionals, what are you supposed to do?
The truth of the matter is that in today's volatile and uncertain business environment, you must think of yourself as an independent business.
Who Owns Crisis Management?
Why HR Needs to Step Up to the Plate
HR professionals cannot ignore the issue of employee safety and security even in a company that already has a viable security function in place. HR professionals in any corporation are best trained to facilitate discussion among business units and crisis management plans must incorporate input from various departments.
True Success
From Plato and Aristote to the present day, the wisest people who have ever thought about success and excellence have left us bits and pieces of powerful advice for attaining true success in our lives. Ive put them together in a simple framework of seven universal conditions.
The Changing Face of Corporate Security
From Fortune 100 conglomerates to successful family-owned enterprises, the once moribund topic of internal security has risen to the very top of budget priority lists and board meeting agendas. And as this country's counterattack on terrorism and workplace violence continues to unfold in the months and years ahead, it is becoming increasingly clear that the unique talents of these highly qualified professionals will place them squarely in our nation's executive suites and boardrooms.
Living With Uncertanity
On September 11, life as we know it was forever altered. Suicidal terrorists challenged Americans sense of security at home, making us painfully aware of
our vulnerabilities.
Love the Work You're With
Since the bubble of the new economy burst, there has been a spate of downsizing and layoffs. These have been accelerated in the aftermath of the September 11 events. With high unemployment and little job switching available, many people are stuck with their same old jobs. The idea behind ?love the work you?re with? is aimed directly at these people. The premise is simple: the job you have now is the only job you have at this time, so why not do all you can to make it the best situation for you that you possibly can?
Executives and Coaching: Fears and Realities
One of the most common complaints of direct reports is that their executives do a poor job of coaching. This perception has been validated in reviewing the 360 feedback scores for executives in 30 major corporations. The item provides effective coaching when needed consistently scores in the bottom ten of all items when direct reports evaluate their executives.
Safety in Numbers: Security as an Organization-Wide Project
Over the years, a number of high-profile workplace violence incidents have forced administrators to examine their security programs. Unfortunately, after the media attention has subsided many organizations become lax and complacent in enforcing consistent programs and committing money to provide safe and secure environments. In the wake of the events of September 11, the importance of security is once again at the forefront.
Leadership Communication in Difficult Times
The initial shock of the 9/11 attacks and their after-affects continue to be felt. In addition to the people lost and the buildings destroyed, millions of jobs in thousands of industries were affected. During the weeks following the World Trade Center attack, the author and his colleagues conducted debriefings and one-on-one counseling sessions for hundreds of employees in client companies.
Business Coaching 101: Everything You Need to Know
The coaching industry/profession has expanded so rapidly over the last several years that now the International Coach Federation(ICF) website lists 3 major categories of coaches (Corporate, Small Business and Personal). Coaches come from over 75 different fields of life and professional experience that are potentially relevant to any given coaching assignment. But with expansions comes confusion. Books and articles on how to be a better coach abound. Managers are encouraged to become better coaches, yet how that translates into specific actions differs in each organization.
HR in the New Millennium 2001 HR Odyssey NEHRA Conference
This presentation was made to NEHRA's 2001 HR Invention Convention by Helen Drinan, former CEO of SHRM.
Emotional Intelligence A Management Fad or
Here to Stay?
Reducing the Risk of Workplace Violence
Managing For Resiliency: Motivating People to Get Up Faster
Recognition, compensation, and work assignments can be an opportunity for an organization to connect with whole human beings and tap into their reservoirs of personal passion. Olympic Gold Medalist, Bonnie St. John Deane speaks about motivation, recognition, comitment, and creating a workplace where people can excel.
Coaching and Counseling
HR Leaders Face New Global Demands: Are You Cross-Culturally Competent?
She thought she was doing the right thing. The HR manager of a large US company operating in China caught an employee stealing.
Establishing a Mentoring Program
When you think about your professional life, you can probably point to at least one individual who made a meaningful contribution to your career.
Managing HR's Relationship with the Board
HR doesn't yet have a place at the board of directors' table. Although people issues are critical to a company's success, few boards include HR executives or turn to HR for advice.
Go Team!: Putting in a Group Effort
Whether you love being part of a team or you prefer to be a "lone ranger" at work, it's important to know how to collaborate with others.
Why are Good People Doing Bad Things? And What We Can Do About It!
Thinking Out of the Box
By now, all of us know this phrase. It means taking a new approach, coming up with something different or looking at things from a divergent perspective. It also happens to be a core HR competency.
Time for a Change: The Work Environment Initiative at KPMG
Taking Control of the Evaluation Process
Learning Organizations Produce Leaders
It takes a learning organization to succeed at succession planning.
