Why you leave.

We have all heard or learned that one of the number one reasons people leave their job is because of their relationship (or lack thereof) with their boss. ..You aren’t getting the feedback you need, the professional development opportunities you need, or are simply just ready for the next adventure. Or, your boss is just dreadful – I am sorry for those who have experienced this. Other reasons may be lack of stability, compensation, or lack of respect.

How you leave.

Why do we wait until we are unhappy to leave our jobs? Why do we wait until “our boss or function of our job isn’t giving us what we need” to begin looking for the next opportunity. The majority of the time, people recognize their readiness, begin looking for the next opportunity, interview, accept the new job, and then give their two weeks’ notice. It’s a stressful time for you, and becomes a stressful time for your company as they now have to scatter to find your replacement in two weeks…and anyone who has recruited or been involved in hiring knows that the right candidate seldom comes along in 10 working days. As an HR professional, peer, and leader within an organization, I find this “traditional” method kind of preposterous. It’s sad that societal norms and old-school patriarchal or hierarchical ways (whatever you want to stake claim to) have taught us to not be open and transparent with one another.

My question to you: Why does it have to be that way?

Method to the madness.

1. From day one, set yourself up for success. Day one is not your first day of work. Day one is your first interview with your future boss. Remember, you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. You have to feel confident that they are going to help support your professional growth and provide you with something out of the deal as well! It’s ok to be a bit selfish in this area. Ask the tough questions without sounding cocky. If you determine that this potential future boss may not meet your needs as a leader, I would seriously reconsider why you are applying for the job. Unless you live to work… then you may feel completely fulfilled in the function and not need these steps at all.
   1. Can you tell me about your leadership style and what you value in taking your teams to the next level?
   2. What is your approach to high stress situations?
   3. Can you tell me how you have helped people succeed in their careers?
   4. How can you see me growing within the organization?
   5. What is your communication style with your direct reports?
   6. How often do you have regular 1:1s?

All of these questions can help you determine if the person you would potentially be working for is the right boss for you. Remember, everyone has different needs and it is a very personal decision. Just remember to take the time and figure out for yourself if you will feel supported prior to accepting the job. No amount of money will drive me to accept an offer if I don’t feel that my future boss will support me in my growth and “when times get tough” at work.

2. If I am feeling dissatisfied with the work, I have the straight-talk conversation with my boss letting them know I am unhappy. It’s not only the right thing to do, in my opinion, but it opens the door to the conversation about what “can be” pertaining to the function of my work. It also provides your leader an opportunity for feedback and potentially course correct given they may not be aware of how their actions may be contributing to your disengagement. Together, you can strategize ways to meet business demands and increase your engagement through new opportunities at work. Sometimes this is illustrated as a stretch assignment, job shadowing, or actually shifting the responsibility of what you do in your function. Depending on business need, it can come to fruition in a variety of ways.

We all have tasks that we don’t like to do, and I am not referring to those. Sometimes we just have to suck that up and go with the flow. I am referring to that disheartening feeling of not feeling fulfilled in the work you do each day… that’s when I will begin having the conversation with my boss. It’s deeper than just the day-to-day function, but actually what I am gaining from my working experience. I am a believer in working to live; not living to work (Generation Y at your service!), and I want to feel fulfilled and engaged in what I am doing given my work is a huge part of my life.

3. If I have communicated my feelings and have tried to overcome those obstacles and still am not feeling fulfilled, then it may be time to consider evaluating what this job really means to me long term. Is this the right fit? Is staying adding to my toolbox to set me up for success in my next job or am I settling for personal mediocrity.

I am always thinking ahead… What can I add to my skillset here to get me to my next level, while at the same time, contributing to bettering the organization and general workforce that I support? That question is ALWAYS top of mind for me.

This is the place when people will usually come to the fork in the road. Do I tell my boss I am going to begin looking for other work, or do I go look for other work, find a job, and then give my notice? (Side note: It can also be based on industry…many competitive industries may shut you down or terminate your employment effective immediately if you begin looking elsewhere given confidentiality agreements so you need to know what is supported at your organization. But nonetheless, you should still feel supported in having transparent dialogue with your boss about your engagement level.)

4. I choose to tell my boss prior to interviewing at another company, and always have. And I have been extremely lucky to have bosses that have supported my professional journey. But I have also set myself up for success by succeeding at Steps 1 through 3 listed above. It is a part of my value system and though it has caused anxiety at times, it has always paid off.

I can’t personally support leaving a company, a team, and my work without knowing I have done everything in my power to see a shift. If the shift never comes or the role isn’t the right one for me, I know it is time to begin looking. But I open the door with my boss!! If you think my outlook is unconventional, ask yourself why you think that way. – Why is it so weird that you would actually want to have a transparent conversation with your boss about your happiness? Why would you leave your workplace in a bind if you don’t have to? Why can’t we challenge ourselves to support something new and live the change we want to see?

I also want to clarify…the steps above can also be used when you are recognizing that you are ready for the next step in your career. You don’t have to be disengaged or unfulfilled. Maybe you have developed the necessary competencies in your current role to support a promotion to something new. Often times this can be an external job. Your leader’s role at this point is hopefully proactively recognize this and try to retain you (if you’re worth it…you know you are), but if business need doesn’t support that promotion or new role, they should be aiding in your respectful and positive exit of the company. It can, and has, been done. I truly believe it is all about setting the tone for your relationship with your boss from day one.

Your take-away.

You own your own engagement, not your boss. You must come to the table with solutions to your professional growth and cannot rely solely on your boss, or other constituents in the company, to come up with the answers for you. Regardless of how often you have performance reviews throughout the year, drive those conversations in your 1:1s. If your boss doesn’t set them up, you do it. Educate your leaders why it’s important that you have these types of conversations. Help them understand your larger career objectives so they can support you on that journey. If they don’t…reconsider! If they do, hug them, or cry a little with happiness when you get back to your desk… because so many people out there don’t feel supported by their leaders or organizations. So many people stay in positions they dislike because they need to put food on the table. It genuinely saddens me when people say this… take control over your work life. Be transparent. Have the dialogue. You’re in the driver’s seat to your own success!

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” – Robbin Williams (You can change your personal world, too…)

Set the scene.

You know you have been there… your boss calls you in to their office because they “have to talk about something” – You know it can’t be good, or can it? Every thought under the sun comes to mind. Am I getting fired? What did I do? Who said it? Am I getting a surprise promotion that I feel I have earned yet really haven’t mentioned to anyone but they just read my mind and are giving it to me anyway? You already have a plan and rebuttal for every possible scenario or topic of conversation. It happens to everyone.

I have been there. The hardest feedback I have ever received in my career to date set me up for the greatest success and put my career on track. But I had to be resilient in overcoming the obstacles I faced by listening, receiving, and accepting that feedback and finally, acting upon it to shift the paradigm.

The art of feedback.

I was 10 months in to my professional career. We had been dealing with a lot of organizational change. We had two peers leave within the months preceding this event (both of whom I got along with very well and trained me) and my boss had just been laid-off. I struggled with interpersonal relationships at work for many reasons, but I realize I was a barrier to my own success and I own that. I knew it and was aware of it, but didn’t really know how to deal with it. I was (am) the stereotypical Millennial that wants to know “why!” – At the time, I would often find myself asking why I would have to do something when the person asking could have done it themselves by the time they were done asking me to do it. And it became a barrier to my growth. It also became a barrier in my ability to build positive relationships at work. (It was more than just that one example stunting my positive performance…but that is one of the key points.)

Well, a couple months after my new boss came on board, he scheduled “that touch base.” The one that just *pops* right up on your calendar with no warning as to why. I knew something wasn’t right. I considered myself pretty self-aware, and I knew the status of my relationships at work… it was really just a matter of time before someone verbalized them. And I didn’t yet have the courage or communication savvy to “self-incriminate” without the fear of being fired. I could not declare the breakdown.

He was nervous; I could tell. He had written a list of things on a piece of paper to share with me. I could see his wheels turning because he didn’t want me to be upset but knew he had to get the point across in a sincere and serious manner. He was direct. And more than anything, he was compassionate.

He opened our time together by saying, “Doug, I have some collective feedback to share with you, and it’s not easy for me to say.” *gulp* “…and I want you to know first off, you are not getting any written documentation or being fired…we are not even close to that point yet…” – He truly just wanted to give me feedback and he set the tone of the meeting for me to be open-minded and not defensive by relieving any stress or pressure I was feeling. *sigh of relief*

He asked me to just listen, and then respond when he was done reading. He went down the list of perceptions from my teammates…

• Doug is not a team player
• Doug pushes back inappropriately
• Doug only does what he wants to do and doesn’t help in other areas
• Doug is disruptive
• Doug only cares about himself
• …the list went on for a dozen bullet points. (I actually have the list somewhere as a reminder to how I never want to be perceived again.)

When I become upset, my ears turn red. I can have a perfectly still demeanor but one would know I am upset by the color of my ears. Well, my ears were probably on fire while sitting and listening to the feedback from my peers and boss. But he treated me with so much respect and the situation so delicately, there was no room for me to be defensive.

I could have rebutted every. single. bullet. point. I easily could have placed blame on others. And frankly, a lot of people who provided those perceptions of me were also a main part of the collective problem. But at the end of the day, this conversation was about me and my future success in my role, and ultimately my career. (To vent later, I actually did rebut every single bullet point in an email. I sent it to me and it was the BEST anxiety relief…try it! Just don’t send it to someone else by accident.) My boss and I worked out our game plan for how I would begin to change the perceptions and begin to create my new reality at work. And I owned every part of it. He didn’t get involved from there except to follow up a few weeks later. He let me sit every one of my peers down in a one-on-one and ask them direct questions. It was brutal taking that feedback. I had 6 peers… and I asked them all to be completely transparent with me… for goodness sake, if I had the courage to ask for the feedback to my face, the least they could do is tell me pointedly how they felt and what they experienced with me as their coworker. And every one of them did with grace and kindness. No one was rude and everyone was open to mending our relationships. (You know when you look back over the history of your life and have life altering moments? This entire experience was absolutely one of those for me.) I love, value, and appreciate feedback. Even more so, I appreciate people who have the courage and strength to provide the feedback, and those who have good listening ears and act upon it.

The art of resiliency.

I love sharing my story on feedback with others struggling in their roles, regardless of their age or where they are at in their career. I overcame many obstacles during that time and am proud of the success I achieved as a result. And I have to give credit to two people…my former boss for having the courage to talk to me. Finally, I have to give myself some credit! Once a leader shares the information, it then becomes the responsibility of the recipient to own it and act upon it. It’s like the 12-steps of recovery to being a better me. Seriously! I was angry and in denial, and then upset, and then remorseful. Then I was happy and strong-willed. I knew I could overcome the barriers I had created for myself. I became resilient. I was able to truly listen, process the feedback, make sense of it for me, and then bounce back from those hardships. Anyone can do it… you just have to be in the right mind set. Allow yourself to go through “those 12 steps.” Feel what you need to feel and deal with it each step of the way. It’s ok to be upset and angry and remorseful. But eventually, you need to get to a place with a clear mind to move forward. That’s when you become resilient. What an awesome word… to be “resilient.” Just think about it. Be proud of yourself!

That example was 10 months in to my job at my former company. I was there for four years and left on the best of terms with 99.5% of those with whom I worked (recognizing you don’t have to get along with everyone…the other .05% is left in that category). I was recognized for my leadership, outstanding performance, and for our organizational principles…nominated and voted on by my entire body of peers and leaders by the way – an 80+ person HR department. That was an honor!

The late Maya Angelou once said, “I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.” – This perfectly illustrates the art of resiliency. I was changed for the better but refused to allow this hurdle to limit my ability to succeed.

 

Your take-away.

The best feedback one could receive (in my opinion) is learning they have left a lasting positive legacy when they are no longer there… What are people saying when you leave the room? This is a question I ask in every single interview I do in my current role. I want to know how people perceive themselves based on how they lead and treat others. My personal example of feedback and resiliency allowed me take the next step in creating my legacy as an HR leader. I probably would have left my former company long before my four year anniversary, either by choice, or not…but the feedback I received, how it was delivered, and my ability to act upon it reprogrammed my mindset and career. Literally.

Perception is their reality. But it’s still reality. Employees have to own that and mend it if negatively impacting their ability to be successful.

Feedback strengthens one’s ability to move forward. That may be the most difficult conversation of your career as a leader but if you are open-minded and have the best intentions to see your employees be successful, the rewards will heavily outweigh the stress and hair loss you incur. Conversely, that may be the BEST conversation you have ever had in your life. We have to remember that feedback covers the full spectrum of good and bad, opportunity and success. And it should be given in unequal doses…yes unequal. Give more good than bad! My example just happens to illustrate how opportunity feedback changed the course of my career for the better. It is an amazing gift when warranted and welcomed. (Please don’t read this and “word vomit” all over your friends and co-workers…). One does need to be in the mindset to receive the feedback and you also need to be in the mindset to provide it.

Talk about resiliency with people. Share stories. Support each other. It’s not all *warm and fuzzies* but an actual learned skill and quality to recognize when it’s needed. Hone in on your own ability to cope and manage hardships, and help your people in building their own coping skills.

I can’t say it enough…I LOVE FEEDBACK! Yes, I am a millennial. I thrive from it. I can be a better worker, employee, person, friend, partner, and student as a result of it. It may take me time to process it, but I will own it. Try it for yourself. Ask someone you normally wouldn’t talk to but work with or around, for feedback. It doesn’t have to be a boss. It can be a peer, or friend. Then allow yourself to feel whatever feeling comes your way. Recognize it and be self-aware. Then allow your emotions to get to a place where you are clear minded and finally, act upon that feedback. Again, whether good or bad. Acting upon it could be a simple “thank you” to the person who gave you the feedback. “The 12 steps” just happened to occur in a millisecond during the moment the feedback was being provided. It’s an amazing thing! Be more self-aware and try it!

 

 

 

 

 

One of my previous functions was partnering with leaders managing over 3,000 employees across 23 States in the lower 48 on employee relations issues. With a territory that large, the juicy stories are an overabundance like grapes during wine harvest (I love wine). Relevant to Facebook (“FB”), I would receive calls all of the time about XYZ calling out sick yet their FB page showed them partying at the beach all day. Every manager has received the call “*cough*…I’m sick… I can’t come in to work…” We all deal with the extravaganza that is social media. So what do you do when you are friends with your employees on FB and you see them being a bit wild on the weekend? Does it really matter that you saw such things? When does it become a problem in the workplace? Let’s explore this together…

My philosophy on social media.

My philosophy of social transparency evolves from a former boss (GenX) that asked to be my friend on FB. He appreciates being connected with coworkers as it allows him to know his people on a deeper level. He also set the expectation that what happened outside of work is completely separate from the day-to-day in the office. Yes, we interacted online, but at the end of the day, he was my boss and I was his direct report. I have been lucky to have many bosses who have supported this line of thinking.

I carefully choose who I connect with, but I don’t believe in keeping personal life and work totally separate. Am I going to be friends on FB with the office tattle-tale or gossip queen? No! But I do believe connecting with people on social media outlets helps to create a more transparent relationship to the employees I support. My mentor loves bringing this up with me because he (as a professor) is very adamant that he will not be FB friends with a student until they have graduated. It’s his social code that he sticks to no matter what. Other Generation X or Millennial friends of mine don’t even have FB. I however, love the social transparency.

While defining my personal brand (ongoing journey, btw – see future blog post about this), I made a choice that social transparency allows people to see “Doug” beyond the four walls of my workplace. I want people to relate to me, and I am ok with the people I work with knowing more about me. And… it’s a matter of communicating expectation.

With a “friendship” connection, there is a communicated mutual understanding that FB is personal. And they are welcome to step in to that realm of my life, but it cannot filter negatively in to the workplace. I say this with the caveat that this personal philosophy of being socially transparent has most definitely evolved over the past several years. It hasn’t come without hardship. Lessons of posting on FB on my own personal time and being reprimanded at work in an unbelievable fashion (no company policies broken in any way). Ask for more details if you’d like offline. Because of this lesson though, I questioned for a long time whether I would delete all my coworkers and keep my personal life completely separate. Maybe I am just that stubborn or I really want to prove a point that it can be done…so I didn’t delete my coworkers. I stuck to what I felt was right – to continue being myself in a transparent way.

Twerk It.

I will happily be the example of social transparency – take twerking for example. I am not very good at twerking but in times of celebration, I do it anyway.

(Caption: No, that’s not my underwear showing, they are my man Spanx. Yes, men wear Spanx, too! The identity of my friend shall remain protected.)

A lot of people may raise concern with a picture of this nature seen on my FB page. They may be concerned about my level of professionalism or not representing myself in an appropriate way even though it’s on my own time. The answer: If you don’t like seeing it, “unfriend” me. At the end of the day, we are coworkers and social transparency isn’t necessary for us to work well together. No hard feelings.

If only “unfriending” was so easy, right? People ask, “why?” Or maybe they triangulate to avoid confrontation. People’s feelings become hurt when there is a perceived negative change to their social construct (I should go for my PhD and write my dissertation on this). Furthermore, the lines of work and personal life begin to cross as conflict arises. It takes practice, but respectful communication about such topics like “unfriending” can occur without such demise to working relationships.

And, I can still perform when I get to the office on Monday. Would you not hire me as a result of googling my name, searching my profile and finding that picture? I feel sorry for your hiring decisions if so. You’d be missing out! Can you judge my work performance based on that picture in any way? You could probably assume, but we all know what people say about assuming… “It makes an a…” yeah, you get it.

As the picture above indicates, I like to have fun. And I’m alright with people I work with having exposure to it! I am true to form. I make my coworkers hysterical by quizzing them on stupid movie quotes, singing obnoxiously, and saying random things that have them questioning my sanity at times! With my close friends I have an extremely “liberal” sense of humor that would make most HR people’s back hair rise to a repulsing frenzy inside the workplace.

Other people may make posts with funny faces, booty shakes, politics, religion, or marriage equality. All of those things could be perceived as misrepresenting a company based on organizational values, or even misrepresenting one’s personal brand. But why would you allow those personal posts to interfere with work? They have no place there. No laws or workplace confidentiality broken, defamatory actions, or discrimination here people! When I am on my own time, I represent myself according to my personal brand. And if twerking happens to be an implied part of that brand, then I will gladly be a keynote speaker at the next SHRM conference entering the stage twerking upside-down. I bet you $100 I would get a standing ovation, and not a reprimand. Gosh that would be my dream come true!! Speaking of SHRM – try watching hundreds of HR professionals throw their bras on stage during the 80’s cover band performance and not placing judgment on that. It happens! Yes, HR people are probably the dirtiest of them all! We put on our “pc” hats at work, but watch out at 5pm!

Your argument.

What if you fire someone you are friend’s with on FB? — First off…HR doesn’t fire. We consult managers and set them up for success to fire their own employees. You’d actually be surprised by how many of you out there still have your jobs because we (as your beloved HR people) steer your manager in a different direction to support your development and success. — Well, terminating someone’s employment may make it a bit harder personally because I am socially connected to them. You have to be self-aware and recognize that feeling. It then becomes a matter of objectivity and separating what happens inside and outside of work. Am I getting drunk with the person on Sunday and then firing them on Monday? Heck no. There are boundaries, and each person sets their own. As HR professionals we pride ourselves on being objective. So why don’t we allow ourselves the same right to interact socially as everyone else (unless your fraternization policy forbids it…so stupid in my opinion)?

“As an employee of our company, you represent our brand. As a professional, you represent yourself.”

We have all heard it! When I am at work, in my company gear, at a company event, or on company time, I represent my company. When I am at Voicebox Karaoke at 11pm on a weekend night, I am not representing my company. That picture does not speak negatively to my judgment, character, and ability to perform, or ability to represent my company. And if you don’t like seeing it, I promise that I won’t be offended if you unfriend me.

Your take-away.

So, what do you do when someone is having performance, conduct, or attendance issues at work and your connection on FB lends to maybe why they are having those issues? Focus on the work issue. Don’t filter what you know outside of the workplace, in. Be objective in that regard. It’s your job! Coach and mentor your line managers to do the same. I don’t care that they may be out until 2:00am getting wild with their friends as long as they are at work on time, perform well, and are engaged.

As professionals, you have to make a choice that makes the most sense for you…Do you want to open the door to knowing more about your people on a socially transparent level and them knowing more about you? I choose to and thrive in that space. Define what social transparency means to you! Set boundaries. Don’t limit others by your own personal views. Don’t triangulate. Stop making policies about how people act outside of work. Maybe, just maybe…try standing upside-down and twerk.

An old colleague of mine recently posted about having received some feedback from leadership at her place of work on her “professional appearance.” Before clarifying, I assumed that she was talking about her physical appearance in the workplace, only to be kindly redirected and to learn her leadership was referring to her confidence in what she does. So while my ego was slightly bruised after having raised my pedestal as high as it can go to get a message across about physical appearance in the workplace that didn’t even relate to her post, I am very happy her organization looks past her quirky sense of style as that is what makes her beautiful!

With that though, it lit a fire about how we physically show up as HR professionals to work every day. Most places of work have a dress code. And dress codes are usually written to provide employees with some level of professional guidance about what the expectations are when getting ready for work in the morning. So why is it (generally and from personal experience) that we as HR professionals are told to dress one step further. “We have to set the professional example,” I’ve been told on numerous occasions as this topic comes up often among varying generations in the workplace. Or, “that’s just the way it is.” WHY? Why does that have to be the way it is? And this doesn’t just go for HR professionals. Why do (some) executives feel they have to dress above the code as well? Maybe that is what some people are most comfortable in, and I respect that. I however, don’t feel comfortable in slacks and a button-down 5 days per week and if our policy allows for something more casual, I will gladly take advantage of it so that I can feel more comfortable throughout my day.

Several years ago, someone sat me down to tell me there were concerns circulating about my physical appearance. My clothing was too “colorful” or tight, and my hair was, well, anything but conservative – yet still, it was professional for the workplace. I had expressed interest in growing with the organization but was told my physical appearance would probably not allow me to grow in the way I wanted to grow.

“Look in the mirror before you leave for work in the morning. Ask yourself if you look like person XYZ that has the job you want. If the answer is no, maybe rethink what you are wearing.” – Person to remain nameless

Not only was I angry, I was flabbergasted that someone would actually come to me with this as a concern. I was so caught off guard. I dressed within policy and the concern had no relation to my performance. It was a major stuck point for me. Do I conform, or do I stick to my beliefs and work hard and persevere through it? Well, I don’t always choose the easy path (and I am extremely stubborn, and when someone tells me I can’t do something, I work that much harder to succeed), so I chose to stay “as-is.” Low and behold, those people in leadership roles soon left the organization (thank heavens to betsy), leaders came in that supported individuality and not the “everyone wear khakis and blue button-downs” kind of environment. I was seen as the fun guy with the bright colored shirts and argyle socks that matched accordingly. People looked past my clothing. Actually, they looked directly at it and appreciated the difference in the workplace.

What I really want to say when people get on their high horse about “dressing for the position you want.”

“My cute Saks pinstripe shorts with loafers and a Brooklyn Industries short sleeve button-down look better than your out-dated pair of pleated khakis, a blue button-down and penny loafers with those damn tassels. Hands down. Any day. Try and argue it! Yes, both are within the policy. But I don’t create barriers to your growth by what you wear. And frankly, while I may have a personal opinion about what you wear, I could care less.”

My personal philosophy on dressing for success.

I dress for the culture of the business I am working in. If I see that the greater population of our workforce is wearing jeans and a t-shirt to work, guess what I am going to wear? Why? Because I personally believe that makes me more relatable. The historical HR profession has had the “sit across the desk from you” mentality during discussions and disciplinary action. “Come in to my office and shut the door; we have something to talk about…” Why not change our way of thinking and create a “sit next to you” mentality. And that is on all levels, including the way we dress. If I was in a lineup of employees, I don’t want to be picked out as the HR guy who dresses above everyone. I want to blend in and allow them to know and understand that I am a normal guy (and employee) just like they are. As we strive for this strategic partnership, why is our clothing left out of the equation? My work speaks for itself. I have a proven track record of success and I have never had to sacrifice my philosophy of “dressing for the culture” versus dressing above it. I should note that our profession is changing… we have amazing transformational leaders in a lot of organizations working on such initiatives. It’s happening globally, but just not enough in my opinion.

I was recently a part of a multi-generational panel of speakers here in Portland at a strategic HR conference. We were asked as part of our opening to relay one perception that our generation often feels about the generation preceding us. My comment as a Millennial during that introduction was that we often hear “dress for the position you want, not the one you have.” In my opinion, if the position you want is in the same organization, it’s an irrelevant point. Why should my work not speak for itself? Again the response I often receive is, “Because it’s just that way. Executive leaders want to know you are serious about the opportunity and you need to show good face and set an example.” – Suit and tie does not equal good face or positive performance people!! There are plenty of coworkers whom I have encountered over my time that b.s. their way through promotion after promotion by showing good face. They are the person you find yourself talking to your cube mate about… “What do they actually do? No one really knows…” – I don’t really care about your face… I care about the work you accomplish. When it comes time for your next opportunity, I am going to look at what you contribute to our top and bottom line, and how those results impact your team and the organization as a whole.

Now, I didn’t say all of this verbatim during the panel on generations. But I did clarify that I dress for the culture because I believe my performance should speak for itself. My performance does speak for itself. I am living proof that it can be this way. And although many antagonists and close-minded people I encounter often inform me that my passion and spark for change will eventually die, I can guarantee you, it will not. In 20 years, I hope I am the leading face for change and can write my book on how HR leaders can initiate and influence change by being themselves. One day at a time. One person at a time. The larger the wave grows, we will transform our HR culture and profession in a way that some of us are already imagining.

 Your take-away.

Stop telling your people to dress for the position they want. Tell them to dress for the culture and policy and what makes them comfortable within that. Support it! Support your work culture and environment. Step outside of your own comfort zone and try something new…you just might like it. And if wearing outdated, pleated khakis and penny loafers with tassels makes you the most comfortable, I am genuinely happy for you and am glad you found the clothing that makes you most comfortable while at work.

And as I was driving home from my spin class with a friend of mine this evening, we were chatting about this topic. The disclaimer to all of this: Dress up for your interview! No, jeans aren’t appropriate. From a recruitment standpoint, make yourself known during the interview process by presenting a slightly more polished self than maybe is usual.

 

 

• The “Old” HR person
• Personal Branding
• Development
• Generations in the Workplace
• Culture
• Dress for Success
• Social Media
• Recruiting Gen Y/Millennials