Over the next few weeks I’ll have the opportunity to speak with thousands of HR Professionals & Leaders in business.  This week I will be in North Carolina and soon following in Minnesota, New Jersey, Bahamas, Venezuela, Orlando and Virginia.

Part of the conversation happening in this community is the relationship between the C Suite and HR.  Does the C suite value the work?  How can HR bridge gaps to gain credibility, support, strategic influence and cold hard cash to make a meaningful contribution? What if the C suite just doesn’t get it?

Real questions.  A real interesting conversation during a time of HR transformation where 90% of business leaders surveyed said that they are focused on making significant changes to their human-resource policies in the next 12 to 18 months (PwC’s 2011 annual global CEO survey).

Last week while working with a client I was fortunate to attend a business briefing where a panel of 4 CEO’s talked very specifically about what they want from HR.  The focus of the conversation was how they define a “strategic HR business partner” and “what they want and need from HR now.”

4 key themes emerged from this C Suite panel regarding HR as a Strategic Business Partner:

Understand the Business: HR work starts with the business.  You need to be informed and understand the business strategy, objectives and obstacles as well as you understand HR.  Speak the language.  Do the requisite homework. Become an expert in the business you support and serve.

Be Present with Presence: Be visible.  Set meetings that focus on HR serving the business.  Offer to attend meetings that focus on business strategy and priorities.  Develop collaborative relationships with functional leaders across the enterprise in support of the HR value proposition.  Ask for feedback and establish clearly defined expectations and objectives around the HR contribution.

Influence for Impact: Guide leadership to serve the business the right way related to people and performance.  Coach communication.  Cultivate and celebrate culture. Reinforce and recognize values.  Be ready to demonstrate and dollarize the impact to the business around people practices.

Lead the People Strategy: Be proactive.  Serve as a catalyst for change.  Show up with new ideas and solutions to problems that have not been considered.  Challenge the status quo. Be an advocate for what the business needs to be doing better in an effort to optimize people and performance.  Hold the business accountable

In short summary, what the CEO wants from HR or any function for that matter is simple.

Results.

It is all about performance.

Deliver.

Don’t be denied.

Do the work.

Demonstrate a result.

Dollarize it.

Today you can influence the business from almost any level of the organization.  You don’t need permission to have influence.

But the one thing you do need?

Impact.

That is what the C Suite wants the most.

Impact. Performance. Results.

Talent is a top of mind priority in the C Suite and HR is incredibly well positioned to deliver increasingly more value to the business. No doubt it is going to look different and I look forward these future directed conversations, ideas and insights in the coming weeks.

Posted in Leadership, Performance

Tags: HR, Human Resources, SHRM, Strategy

I live and love the iLife.  In making the transition from Blackberry I became an AT&T customer by default.

I have experienced dropped calls and hit dead zones over the last two years.  Just like I am sure everyone else on just about every other network has.  It certainly wasn’t enough of a disruption that moved me to explore other service providers.  However, had an alternative option been presented to me with incentive and ease of transition I certainly might have made the move.  I represent the vast majority of customers (yes, likely your customers and employees).  I was reasonably satisfied.  Not loyal.

That changed for me last week. AT&T has captured my heart and moved my spirit. I am now part of the Rethink Possible Tribe.

Why?  Simple. The human element. The essential, secret ingredient that can turn your customers into the most loyal, fanatical, brand evangelists on the planet. The essential, secret ingredient that can rock your workforce, elevate engagement, accelerate performance and turn culture into a competitive advantage.

It comes down to people and relationships.  Particularly people that are engaged and intuitive enough to create a compelling experience.

I spent an evening with AT&T last week.  I was hired to keynote a dinner event.  The people I met were special.  The way they treated me was extremely generous.  They were all Brand Ambassadors.  They were warm, welcoming, supportive, hospitable and extended themselves beyond measure to ensure I was able to succeed. It wasn’t necessary.  It was simply AT&T.

I know them now.  I like them now.  They have my support.  Any my business. I want to work with them again.  Whether I do or don’t doesn’t really matter.  This brand was humanized for me in a very positive and powerful way.  That drives loyalty.  It is that simple.

The people are the brand.

Often it isn’t what you do (plenty of other people/companies do what you do just as well as you do it and for just about the same price), but how you do it and who is doing it that makes the moment memorable enough to keep customers (and employees) coming back for more.

Put people first.

Performance and profitability are more likely to follow.

If your people strategy isn’t the #1 priority on the agenda today perhaps it is time to Rethink Possible?

Posted in Brand, Communications, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Sales, Uncategorized

Tags: AT&T, Brand, Brand Ambassador, Customer Loyalty, customer service, Engagement, Experience, Human Resources, Loyalty

Incoming call.

“Hey Ryan…what are you up to?  We are heading down to South America.  Starting it out in Caracas, Venezuela man.  Going to be a huge week.  Meetings and dinners with some fantastic people.  Thought of you and wanted to pull you into the conversation…calling with plenty of notice for you buddy…plane leaves in 48 hours!”

Incoming call.

“Hey Ryan…how are things?  Planning to head over to Shanghai in a couple weeks for a 3 or 4 day writing sabbatical and to have a look around.  Why don’t you join me?  It would be a great time of year to get out, clear the decks and get some real creative energy going!”

I get these kind of phone calls.  I have interesting friends with quite an adventurous spirit. This is how they work, build, create, push, evolve, improve.  I haven’t always been one to embrace the adventure agenda.  I am learning.

I rejected both of these invitations.  Immediately.  I was resistant.  The notion of running off to some far away place to network and write made me uncomfortable.  It just didn’t seem like the right way to do meaningful work.  I wanted that desk by 7:45 a.m.  That familiar place.  The office.  The place where real work gets done during regular business hours.  I was conditioned early and ended up missing out.

A little structure and discipline are necessary for peak performance.  So is a healthy dose of the adventurous spirit.  The best ideas and breakthrough moments often remain elusive in the safety zone.  Being open to experiencing those little stretch moments pushes you learn and grow.  The great thing about work today is it doesn’t demand the traditional schedule and structure.  We are more free than ever to determine how, when and where we do our very best work.  The free agents figured that out and companies are starting to catch up.

Autonomy is a powerful driver for a several of the big time producers I know. These produces are masters at evolved work style design, efficiency and elevated output.

Those trips to Caracas and Shanghai proved to be the genesis for a successful new business venture and the writing of a book.  Not bad output from the adventure tour. I was watching from the sidelines.

I will be heading to Caracas, Venezuela this fall for a speaking engagement.  Following, I may stop in Peru to do some writing for a couple days.  I am looking forward to that adventure.

This week my version of the adventure tour takes me to Eugene, Oregon for our Engage! event and then off to Dallas, Texas for an evening with AT&T .

The places we go and people we meet can have forever impact.  I am learning.

Posted in Employee Engagement, Leadership, Uncategorized

Tags: Autonomy, Engagement, Human Resources, Office, Travel, Work Style Design

Eighteen months ago I was preparing and packing to speak at the 2009 SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition.  I had just started my new company and was excited to head to New Orleans.  And while reviewing the agenda with KJ, I recall clearly a question she posed:

KJ: Are you registered to attend the Tweet Up?

Me: The Tweet What?

KJ:  It’s a sponsored party where people on Twitter who attend the conference Meet Up to connect, converse and generally speaking, have a good time.

Me:  Really?  Sign me up and we can check it out.

Upon first being exposed to Twitter I wasn’t moved.  Did I really need to know what my friend from college had for lunch?  But being in the brand strategy & communications design space I opted in and caught on quickly.  To this day I get asked all the time:  Is Twitter a business tool or waste of time?  My answer is always the same:  It’s both.  If expanding and accelerating relationships and listening to and learning from leading experts is part of your business strategy then Twitter can be a powerful tool.  I can also tell you from personal experience that incorporating a Tweet Up into your social strategy is a very good idea.

On a rainy night in New Orleans we showed up at my first Tweet Up.  A small, private bar in the back of a restaurant.  About 100 people from the conference (which had about 8,000 attendees) attended, which wasn’t an overwhelming turn out.  But the people who showed up….well, in a word they were special.

They were the early adopters.  Producers, creators, writers, entrepreneurs, speakers, thinkers, influencers, practitioners and doers.  That generally speaking wanted more.  Out of the conference.  Out of the work experience.  Out of their network.  They were opting in and asking questions.  Of each other.  Of an industry.  Perhaps of themselves.  A very smart and skilled collective that to me represented a shift.  Certainly in how we were going to attend and experience a conference.  Definitely in how we could expand and influence our professional network.  And for me personally, that night also represented a shift in the way I was going to approach work.

I got to meet new and interesting people like Kris Dunn, Mark Stelzner, Lance Haun, Jessica Lee, Michaeal Long, Laurie Ruettimann, Mary Ellen Slater, Josh Westover, Jennifer McClure, Peter Clayton, Mark Christensen and Michael Vandervort.  I didn’t know any of them well then.  I know most of them better now.  And that makes me better.

I didn’t blog then.  I do now.  And because I didn’t blog then I didn’t have a keynote about Leadership & Culture called Passion on Purpose.  I do now.  And those things have accelerated my business.  Twitter and specifically that Tweet Up put me in what I commonly refer to as a “state of action”.  I wanted to contribute more.  And that makes me better.

Listening and learning is perhaps the best opportunity social media affords.  It’s also important to know who to listen to and learn from.  My suggestion:  next time you attend a conference get plugged into the channels.  Be curious.  Step out of your comfort zone.  Make new connections.  Have rich, meaningful conversations with people who are contributing to what is next and new.  You might be surprised what happens next.

If you are a Meeting Planner or Association Membership Chair there is tremendous opportunity to elevate the event experience and deliver more value to your membership.  It isn’t necessarily about the technology and tools.  It’s about the trend.  That people want more opportunity to contribute and connect in a meaningful way if they invest their time and money.

I still don’t care about what my friends from college had for lunch.  I will also be at the next Tweet Up that affords me an opportunity to connect with interesting people doing relevant work.  The enclosed video recap is from the recent Twighlight Tweet Up at the SHRM National Leadership Conference. Check it out.

SHRM10Lead Official TweetUp Video from SHRMSocMedGuy on Vimeo.

Posted in Recruiting, Sales, Social Media, Uncategorized

Tags: Conference, Conventions, Events, Human Resources, Meetings, Social Media, Tweet Up, Twitter

Research indicates that recognition is one of the most significant drivers of employee engagement.

Recognition is an interesting study. Stop for a moment and consider: what was the best recognition moment you’ve ever experienced at work? The answer to that question can offer meaningful insights. I often pose that question in the research and seminar facilitation work I do. The answers, based on my experience set, are rarely about things like gold watches and steak knives. They typically are accounts of authentic acknowledgement and appreciation for a job well done. Often they are very powerful stories. Work is a very emotional experience.

This week Harvey McKcay published a beautiful story about the unique Thanksgiving recognition ritual of Don MacPherson, President of Modern Survey. Don takes time out every Thanksgiving morning to call each employee in his business to personally say thank you. Don is a colleague I’ve known for a couple years now and blogged about here. I was pleased to learn about his special tradition and see it called out as an example of authentic leadership.

I was quite surprised, however, upon leaving the gym Thursday morning to look down at my phone and see a voice mail from Don. See, Don doesn’t stop at just his employees. He calls vendors. Partners. Colleagues. Brand Ambassadors. To extend his gratitude for the support they provide Modern Survey. And trust me, he means it. I am saving the message. I was inspired.

I was prompted to consider my own recognition experiences. Where I’d succeeded and fallen short. I also thought about the gold watch and set of steak knives. I own both from corporate recognition. Honoring ten and fifteen years on the job. They are pictured in this post. I don’t personally care for the watch. Not my style. I’ve never worn it (except admittedly when keynoting about Passion Culture to occasionally use it as a prop). I like my steak knives. I still use them to this day. My point is, they just didn’t mean anything to me.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with corporate recognition programs. To the contrary, they can offer a lot. But, they are no replacement for authentic acknowledgement and appreciation.

If you are a leader, stop for a moment and consider: Do you know what each one of your employees best recognition moment was at work? Were you part of that moment? Recognition is very personal and that understanding with subsequent action, appreciation and acknowledgement can go a long way.

You have to give to get. Sometimes all it takes is a phone call and thank you when someone least expects it.

Thank you Don!

Posted in Employee Engagement, Leadership

Tags: Engagement, Human Resources, Loyalty, Recognition

I enjoyed spending the last few days renewing connections, expanding my community and participating in the conversation about what is next and new for SHRM Chapter Leaders across the country. The energy, optimism and intent to deliver increasingly more value to it’s membership was evident both in session and during all of the casual conversations throughout the conference. I consider it a privilege to be able to contribute in a small way.

Prior to my session I was invited to the SHRM Social Media Studio for a chat on SHRM10TV Live @ Leadership to discuss brand strategy, social media and my thoughts on what is next for HR. The clip is included and I look forward to continuing the conversation through a number of planned visits, seminars and keynotes for SHRM Chapters in 2011, including my keynote at 2011 National Talent & Staffing Management Conference & Exposition in San Diego.

Thanks SHRM for another great event! As part of our commitment in return we offering SHRM accelerated rates on both our speaking and training portfolio for the remainder of 2010. Any SHRM Chapter inquiring about either our HRCI strategic credit approved special events/workshops or annual conference keynotes should make mention when contacting our office. We look forward to supporting What is Next!

SHRM10TV “Live” @ Leadership — A conversation with Ryan Estis from SHRMSocMedGuy on Vimeo.

Posted in Brand, Employee Engagement, Recruiting, Social Media

Tags: Human Resources, SHRM, Staffing, Talent Management

I am en route to Washington DC for one of my favorite conference events of the year, SHRM Leadership.  Bottom line, for my time, SHRM delivers an outstanding conference experience by getting the following right:  Content; Channels (I’ll catch what I miss here #shrmlead10) and Community development (I will also be attending the Twilight Tweet Up and look forward to the more casual business conversation and new connections that time affords).  That is what keeps me coming back.

I get the idea that the Unconference is the trend line and talk of the twitter stream.  Right.  I’d rather have a guarantee of quality, actionable content (Marcus Buckingham this year at National and Sir Richard Branson slated for next aren’t too bad) and agenda. That’s me.

I will  offer some thoughts around brand strategy and experience design to elevate workforce productivity and accelerate association membership (we will attack both) Friday afternoon.  I am the closing session from 3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m which also means I am the last line of defense between the HR Leaders and Happy Hour!  We’ll have some fun (preview enclosed).

Posted in Brand, Communications, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Recruiting, Social Media

Tags: Associations, Conference, Human Resources, SHRM

I always enjoy the conversation with Employer Brand International Chairman & CEO Brett Minchington.  As he continues his Employer Brand World Tour (next stop: Paris) we were fortunate to spend a little time together this summer prior to the launch of his new book, Employer Brand Leadership.

Having worked with Brett over the last two years as part of his Employer Brand International consortium it was a real pleasure to connect live again and tap into the the thinking behind the book and his very global perspective related to culture, careers, work style design and all things Employer Branding.  Like most old friends who hadn’t seen each other in some time we spent time catching up on life’s events, lessons on the journey and debating which game was more interesting:  American or Australian Rules Football.  And naturally, given the work we do, the conversation also included thoughts on the evolution and impact of Social Media in the workplace.

We both agreed the shift in the way we connect, communicate and collaborate is still in its infancy.   And based on Brett’s broad experience he is able to cast a wide lens of perspective on rates of adoption, attitude, experience, impact opportunity and ROI.  I captured a portion of our conversation on video and have included an excerpt on Brett’s global perspective here.  For real detail into his insights, ideas and the most robust portfolio of corporate case studies ever assembled on the practice of Employer Branding buy the book!

Posted in Brand, Communications, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Recruiting, Social Media

Tags: Careers, Global, Human Resources, Work

Increasingly it won’t be the marketplace, technology, competition, research or development that accelerates business growth.  Sure, all those things matter. But the people deliver the performance that executes on the plan. Put your people strategy first…profits follow.

Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks said it well in a New York Times interview recently when talking about culture and leadership, “People ask me what’s the most important function when you’re starting an organization or setting up the kind of culture and values that are going to endure.  The discipline I believe so strongly in is HR, and it’s the last discipline that gets funded. Marketing, manufacturing — all these things are important. But more often than not, the head of HR does not have a seat at the table. Big mistake.”

If you are in the practice of people (HR; Leadership) NOW is the time where you can contribute increasingly more value to the business.  NOW is the time where you can drive and sustain a competitive advantage through proactive people practices.  NOW is the time to focus on talent!

We’ll be workshopping through the Trends, Technology and Transformation shaping the practice of people strategy in Indianapolis on October 21 and in Minneapolis on November 3.  Join us for the conversation, networking or just come out for the HRCI strategic credits…we’ll have some fun too!

I recently closed my conversation with Don MacPherson, President of Modern Survey talking about talent.  I asked the employee engagement guru if he agreed with my sentiment that NOW is the time to invest and elevate talent practices.  He challenged that thinking, indicating the right time for both increased attention and subsequent action was about six months ago.  Perhaps if your organization is just starting to make talent practices a priority you are a bit behind.  Here are those thoughts from Don and I look forward to continuing this conversation in both Indy and Minny in the coming weeks!

Posted in Brand, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Recruiting

Tags: Human Resources, Talent

I write and speak about Passion Culture.

From my perspective Passion Culture is a movement. A strategic decision. A clear best practice. And the very best chance an organization has to throttle down growth, accelerate value creation and sustain a long term competitive advantage. I am fond of saying, put your people first…and profits follow (yes, you need to make sure they are the right people in the right jobs).

We know it when see it. An energized workplace. Authentic leadership. Open communication. A culture of consistency, connection, camaraderie and caring. Trust. Personal growth and development. Recognition and fun. Customer loyalty and bottom line business results. The kind of place where everyone wants to work and right fit employees thrive.

Doing work on cultural immersion and communication strategy is one of my favorite aspects of the consulting work we do. This week our team spent several days interviewing peak performers of a Fortune 100 Best Company To Work For organization across all functional lines of business. By any and every benchmark this organization is a well respected and established category leader. And culture, leadership and communication is a compelling and clear competitive advantage embedded into their business strategy. From the C Suite down and across all functional lines of business they have extraordinary alignment. Mission is not just a wall placard for this organization. It is top of mind influencing every employee action and decision each and everyday. And it is evident throughout the entire talent lifecycle in candidate experience, selection, oboarding, development, career mobility and mentoring, recognition etc. They function as a team with one common purpose. And they continue to invest to improve and evolve because they know that increasingly talent will remain their key differentiation and opportunity to continue to win big and deliver on their promises. Now is the time to prepare and be resource ready. Fun to watch and support!

I recently did an interview for HR Times on culture as a competitive advantage. You can click through, check it out and consider…how is your organization and its leadership influencing culture to compete and win? Has your corporate culture improved in the last 24 months? As a leader are you acutely aware of the well defined and constantly reinforced strategy to elevate culture, improve experience and align toward one shared purpose? Are you aligned down the line?

I also offer my short definition of Passion Culture in the following keynote clip:

Posted in Brand, Communications, Employee Engagement, Leadership, Recruiting, Sales, Uncategorized

Tags: Best Place to Work, Culture, Human Resources