Currently browsing Ben Eubanks

I recently received a tweet from a Twitter friend named Kelly Dingee that put a smile on my face.  Kelly writes for an awesome talent management blog – Fistful of Talent and tweets with the handle @SourcerKelly.  Like most of the individuals I follow on Twitter related to HR, we’ve had conversations back and forth about hot topics, random facts and basic fun.  Her comment really made a difference in my day.

Debbie Downer

You see, I am a pessimist and always have been.  In fact I am from a family full of them, blah blah blah.  Think Debbie Downer from Saturday Night Live.  Well, as I have said before, I truly believe I control my attitude, especially in the workplace.  Yes, other variables may have an impact but I am the one who ultimately decides how to react.  With that in mind I have been focusing on improving my pessimistic outlook on a daily basis.

With the start of a new career I decided it was time to make some big changes.  I went from a 60+ hour a week job in the private sector to a 40 hour a week job in the public sector.  Basically, my life no longer revolves around work.  Amen.  This means I have much more time for family, friends, volunteering and playing with social media – yay!

The biggest change I made was to make a concerted effort to start each day positively, which is difficult when I wake up each week day with my alarm blaring at 5:50 am.  That’s right, it’s disgusting.  What makes it worse is that I am NOT a morning person and that I usually cannot sleep more than four hours per night.  Regardless, I grab the laptop and open up Twirl to see who else is up.  Usually I find what I like to refer to as the “morning crew” – @SteveBoese, @TrishMcFarlane, @LisaRosendahl, @Victorio_M and @MikeVanDervort.  My goal is to have a positive impact on those I connect with on a daily basis.  Whether offering words of encouragement in the office or kudos via tweet, I am doing my part to make someone else’s day just a little bit better.

If I can leave my house for work with a smile on my face then I have done my job.  All I can do then is continue spreading the positive vibes throughout the day.  I think it’s beginning to wear off on some people. 

Stay positive in your workplace.  We all have challenging days.  Work through them the best you can as your attitude will have an impact on those that work with you.

A major pet peeve of mine is people getting or taking credit for things they do not deserve.  Think Dunder Mifflin regional manager Michael Scott giving himself the “World’s Best Boss” mug.  Unfortunately this shameful self-promotion is pretty common, especially with the advent of social media as an aid to personal branding.  Think about it, social media provides a way for individuals to build a reputation without ever physically meeting anyone.  Some may say the concept is pure genius.

Too frequently I see people claiming they are subject matter experts when they have no more experience than the average person.  Ben Eubanks of UpstartHR knows what I’m talking about, as illustrated in his post on Jobacle.com! Yet for some reason these individuals win over fans by commenting on blog posts, making public comments in an open forum or getting quoted in an article.  Guess what?  The people you interact with online may not be the same people if you ever meet them in person.  An online persona can be much more grandiose due to the lack of interpersonal communication.  Think online dating sites like eHarmony!  Some take advantage of electronic communication, knowing full well of how different one can portray themselves in an electronic versus in-person format.  His or her commentary may be nothing but a baseless attempt to garnish some form of credit for personal and/or professional gain.

My love of writing and obsession with technology are what ultimately led to the creation of HR Gumbo.  I am not here to get you to buy something from my company or claim that you must hire me to come speak at your next event.  In blogging my goal is to give a different perspective on the human resource industry, that of a Millennial.  I hope to be able to inspire others to recognize areas of improvement and engage in conversation aimed at making change in the workplace. 

I would say that a good number of bloggers are interested in developing their personal/professional brands, including myself.  That’s not a bad thing.  We offer our posts to initiate conversation, to share valuable information, to educate and learn from colleagues.  Unfortunately, there are some out there who would do or say anything to come out on top. 

Now to get to my point…I urge those involved with social media for professional purposes to heed to their gut.  I believe I am a good judge of character but I cannot speak for all you readers out there as I’ve never met most of you.  In that respect I want to share some suggestions with you regarding developing trust in those bloggers you choose to follow.

First, please don’t take everything I say at face value.  Unless I cite something, the content is based on my opinion.  It needs to be said that you will not necessarily know if you agree with something or if it applies to you until you try it out for yourself. 

Second, I urge you to get to know someone you follow on Twitter or someone whose blog you frequently read.  Engage him or her in discussion to make sure you really do want to follow that person and respect their opinion.

Third, know that some people have ulterior motives and what they say or do may be hogwash and designed to inflate their egos and/or their wallet.  It almost seems as if there should be a reference check in the process of whose blog you decide to trust.

Lastly, have fun.  This is an ever-changing interactive process.  Your thoughts and comments frequently create some of the most fascinating conversations among peers across the globe.  We really appreciate the feedback!

[For interest’s sake, if you are a blogger, answer me this one loaded question:  “Why do you blog?”  Share your answers in the comment section along with your name and blog address.]

Every once in a while you have an opportunity to listen to an incredibly skilled speaker; one whose words inspire you to do more for yourself, your family, your organization.  In a time when unemployment is at 9.8%, its highest percentage in twenty-six years, some motivation would be great, especially for the unemployed.

Remember Herb Brooks, the coach of the U.S. hockey team who won a gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics against the Soviets?  Maybe you’ve seen a few of Herb’s speeches via Kurt Russell in Disney’s 2004 film, Miracle.  Whether you have or not, his ability to motivate his team against tremendous odds is a great example of what the HR industry needs today.  Where is the Herb Brooks of HR? 

I found a great article and video recently that demonstrates the motivational capacity of Herb’s words.  Although the video features then four year old Josh “Rizzo” Sacco, who has watched Miracle nearly 150 times, it still gets the point across.        

“Tonight, we skate whiff’um! Tonight, we stay whiff’um! And we shut dem down because we CAN!”

Some days I feel like I need a shot in the arm to give me a boost to go above and beyond the norm.  Other days I wake up ready to take over the world, especially after reading some thought provoking content by HR bloggers like Ben Eubanks of UpstartHR.  I just wish this feeling was more consistent.  Yes, I realize I control the attitude I bring to the office each day, but it would be great to have someone or something out there that provides continuous inspiration.  Seriously, HR needs a miracle!

Who inspires you?  Who is the Herb Brooks of your organization? Of your HR department?  Do you have a team that champions HR?  Is it you?  How is your company reaching out to candidates and keeping them motivated?  Who do they have to look to for motivation in this economic recession?  Please share your thoughts!

Photo Credit:  Yahoo! Sports Canada