upstartHR

Tag: Random

  • Flexible Work-How I Do It

    I work for a small company and have the flexibility to change my work schedule, work remotely, and do a lot of things that would have been unheard of at some of my previous employers. In fact, that flexibility is a great benefit that we offer our staff that doesn’t have a set price tag…

  • Barefoot Running and Convictions

    I’m taking a moment for a non-HR post today. Enjoy! In about a week I’m going to be running a local 5k race, and I’m hoping to get out there and have a great time. Oh, and I’m going to leave my shoes in the car. Why? Because barefoot running is something that I truly…

  • Thinking On Your Feet-The Hidden Leadership Skill

    As I’ve been pulled into more meetings and face-to-face interactions with our leadership team, I’ve noticed two things. Some of our leaders are very, very good at thinking on their feet. Me? Not so much. Okay, I get that perspective is a big part of this discussion, but it’s really been interesting to observe some…

  • How to Be the Smartest Person in the Room

    My former manager was an amazing leader and mentor. She had some brilliant sayings that I took to heart, and she recently left me with a piece of advice that I’ll never forget. Become the smartest person in the room by knowing you are not. You don’t get smarter or better by thinking you’re the…

  • Are Job Descriptions Really Necessary?

    When you get down to the hard facts, are job descriptions really necessary? Honestly, I don’t know. We got along for several years with a strong performance management process that helps employees to define their responsibilities and what they are rated on. In the age of “I can sue anyone for anything at any time,”…

  • How to “Make” Someone Do Something

    Everyone in the audience watched expectantly. The speaker had just challenged someone from the audience to come up on stage and try to get him to let go of a $20 bill from his clenched fist. The first lady steps up and pries on his fingers, but doesn’t have any luck. The next guy is…

  • Department Metrics-Gaining Instant Credibility

    You hate him, don’t you. That guy from marketing (or accounting, finance, etc.) always has to show off with his slick charts and pretty presentations. I mean, what are we going to do? We’re in HR, darn it. We can’t be that snazzy, can we? The first time I shared some HR department metrics with…