Little Footprints

Yup, you heard it Quid Pro Quo - heard this phrase WAY TO MUCH this week. I used to only associate this with sexual harassment, now in the media, it is way more prevalent with the impeachment process going on and this phrase being thrown around... Then I realized, I got hit with it. I wanted to throw the employees in my office a nice holiday party this year.  We have all worked hard and I thought what a way to end it.  Upper management told me sure-----but first I need to get a project done (which takes about 24 man hours to complete) before I leave for Thanksgiving break.  If I get THAT done, I can throw the party. It all comes down to one activity. One report and I'm afraid I'm going to let my team down.  But here I am, rocking this report on a Sunday so I can accomplish this goal. Yeah, it's a goal, right??!!  Or is it Quid Pro Quo? With that said, I decided to take the survey with my leadership team in mind. I wonder if I should share this w...

Duck, Duck, GOOSE! I learned so much about myself this week - I mean fo' real!  First off, I can't expect employees to read my mind.  I also should not expect for employees to give the same effort I do--or do it like I would have done. This week, I gave a member of my team a task and wanted to see how he would go about it--this little task, I barely gave him instruction (yet, he knew the urgency).  Thinking he would roll with it, and put 110% effort in it was my first mistake. When the task did not get done as quickly as I wanted it to--I re-evaluated my approach.  First, I wasn't clear in the expectations of the task, assignment.  I loomed over him like a hawk--asking him  if he needed assistance.  He insisted no.  With each no, I was getting more impatient. So, yes - people need guidance.  Clear guidance.  Instead of providing him an assignment, if I wanted it done a certain way or done a specific time--I should ha...

"Everyone has a Chapter They Don't Read Aloud" This week was focused on taking a Skills Inventory   (You can click on the link to view my assessment of myself). Wow, totally doesn't look like the HR Executive my company paints me to be does it? Or does it?  I'm slowly growing into my role, day by day--trusting myself more an more. The Chapter I don't read aloud?  Oh the time where I'm among HR professionals and they ask, "oh wow, Director of HR, where did you go to school?" "uuuuum.....Donnelly College" They probe more only to find out, I have an associates degree.  Yup, Director of HR has only an associates degree.  Everyone has a Chapter They Don't Read Aloud. I never explain that I spent years as an administrative assistant. I fell into an HR Role in my mid-30s and had a true passion for it.  My mentor was a retired VP of HR for Sprint--now retired from work altogether.  He taught me everything I know about HR....

I'm not going to lie. When I think of Leadership--my name is never top on my list. Why? I'm a process-person, not one to facilitate leadership type-activities, but if you need it done, I'm your person. After taking this survey, I was able to ponder why I answered the way I did on some of the questions: I am not self-confident - I mean, after getting my SHRM-CP, I started to see myself as an HR professional. However, every time I am faced with a difficult issue, like a scientist, I had to have 'proof' for my reasoning--even if I knew for a fact, I was right, I always second-guess myself. Is there such thing as an introverted HR Director? I am friendly and outgoing and love to help my employees--at home, I tend to love to sit on the couch and read than hang out with friends (Weird I know). I am so diligent and persistent, I come across as annoying (I'm sure!). Anywhoo...with my "army-brat" background, it was ground in me "If It's...