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Kenneth, the Page

One of the few shows that I watch on television is 30 Rock and I looked forward to a new season of clever writing and off the wall humor as I sat down to watch the season premier last month. 

Maybe it was having just come from a certification prep session, but throughout the episode, the lack of basic HR knowledge seemed to be shouting at me. 

The season began with Jack Donaghy at lunch telling the staff their new corporate mission statement was to “get in touch with the real America.”  There was no strategic planning – just the initiative to show head writer Liz Lemon to find new talent.  Liz and show producer Pete began bungling through the recruitment process to find “the right person” for TGS with Tracy Jordan.  I wondered why they didn’t have HR help them. Surely the network has an HR department.

Just a few minutes into the show, Kenneth , everyone’s favorite Page, came to see Jack with his timesheet and the new policy that “pages cannot work more than 16 hours in a day.” Budget cuts were being made and pages could no longer collect any overtime.  “But Mr. Donaghy, I always work more than 16 hours in a day – it’s not right that I not get overtime” “I can’t lie on my timesheet!”  Jack told him he could only record 16 hours a day and to lie on his timesheet. 

I found myself talking to the television. “Kenneth – go see your HR Manager! Jack can’t do that – haven’t you all heard of the Fair Labor Standards Act? Where is your HR Manager?”  

The same budget restraints resulted in the Payroll Department being downsized to one worker and an envelope stuffing machine. It was no surprise when issues with payroll resulted in checks being distributed incorrectly.  Kenneth, who was already upset that his salary was being reduced, mistakenly received Jack’s bonus check which contained “lots of zeros” and he confronted Jack again. Jack ignored his concerns and Kenneth organized a “page strike” with picket lines outside the studio. HR was no where to be found.  

In the midst of recruiting talent, payroll errors, FLSA violations and striking employees, Jenna, one of the stars of TGS with Tracy Jordan, was in desperate need of someone who knew something about Employee Development.  I was speaking out loud again “Where is your HR Manager?”

Then it occurred to me – if fictionalized NBC network on 30 Rock had an HR Manager to keep everyone out of trouble, Jack, Liz, and crew would not be nearly as funny.  So much of what an HR professional does is not noticed unless it is left undone.  Our job is to keep the Jack Donaghys and Liz Lemons of our worlds out of trouble.  As important as it is, the fact that we do it well can sometimes make us feel invisible.  Next time you are feeling like your work is unseen, watch this year’s season premier of 30 Rock and imagine it is your office without you. Laugh and realize your value! 

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.

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