Workhuman Radio

Chris French is the Executive Vice President of Customer Strategy at WorkHuman. He joins Mike Wood to discuss parental leave, workplace culture, and recognition.

Should I Be Distracted?

Chris recalls a performance review he received in a past experience. His wife had given birth to their first child, and he was excited to be a parent. However, in his yearly performance review, he was told he seemed distracted by his responsibilities as a parent. He was offended because he didn’t believe it to be true. Chris says at the time it hadn’t dawned on him that he should have been more offended that his supposed distraction was seen as a bad thing. Two years later, in the same job, a different superior encouraged him to take paternity leave. Different perspectives from different people can have a big impact on what you think a company expects from you, he says.

Beyond Just Parental Leave

It’s great to work in a workplace where people celebrate that they are happy for you. Companies should create a working environment where people see each other as human beings. It is important that companies allow their workers the flexibility to live their lives in whatever way they see fit, Chris states, and not get in the way when life happens. Work extends into a gray area past 9 AM and 5 PM, Mike adds.

A Culture of Recognition

Creating a culture of recognition in the workplace builds a social network within the organization that holds things together during life’s challenges. The culture that WorkHuman builds is one where employees are recognized when caught in the act of doing good things. This means that employees are consistently and constantly recognized by everyone, not just the bosses. When they have young children at home, parents are stressed from their different roles and may feel like they are behind in both facets of their lives. Sometimes all they need is someone to tell them they’re doing a good job.

Resources

Chris French on LinkedIn 

WorkHumanLive.com

Rhonda Taylor is the Director of Partnerships at Fuel50 and a former hockey player. In addition to being a founding member of the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWH), Rhonda was the first female to ever sit on Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors. She and Mike Wood discuss her recent book, the women’s hockey program, and the struggles endured to create it.

Offside

Rhonda wrote her book, Offside, in parallel with the development of women's ice hockey and the women's movement. She is passionate about women moving forward in the sports and business communities. The book is an anecdotal history lesson about the evolution of women’s hockey and the numerous challenges women faced to make ice hockey a socially acceptable sport for females to play in Canada. 

A Man’s Game

Ice hockey was a male dominated field when Rhonda first started playing, which put her in the spotlight for criticism and discrimination. Luckily, Rhonda was hired for the women’s development program, but although she had a seat on the board she was not given the right to vote. This motivated her to fight for women to obtain the opportunity to play the game. Rhonda comments that today in Canada and the US, the male hockey programs are losing players to other sports, and the women’s programs are driving hockey at the national level. 

The Evolution

In the early eighties, the evolution of women's sports came along. Rhonda recounts how the women's hockey program came together. She put all her assets on the line, went around knocking on doors for sponsors, and eventually got funding and approval from the administrative bodies. They were not greeted with a warm reception, but they achieved what they set out to do.

Resources

RhondaLeemanTaylor.com

Rhonda Taylor on LinkedIn | Twitter

OFFSIDE: - A Memoir - Challenges Faced by Women in Hockey

Michael Robb, Senior Manager and Content Producer and recipient of WorkHuman’s Cultural Energizer Award, is this month’s Human of WorkHuman. He joins Mike Wood to talk about his luck, employee appreciation, and his most recent award.

Michael is Lucky

Mike asks Michael to recall his golfing experience. Michael gives an account of the two hole-in-one’s he managed to score in one day while on holiday, later appearing on national news because of it. In addition, when he and Mike went to Las Vegas, Nevada, he won over $1000 in a Wonder Woman slot machine in one try.

The Importance of Appreciation

In response to Mike asking him what employee appreciation means to him, Michael says that everyone does a great job and should be recognized for it by both their managers and their peers. If someone works over the weekend they should feel appreciated and acknowledged for the sacrifice of their free time. Part of Michael’s job is showing prospective or existing customers that employee appreciation is beneficial to drive other business objectives.

Cultural Energizer

Michael is the recipient of WorkHuman’s Cultural Energizer Award, which he says is the most important award he has ever received. He explains that the role of the cultural energizer in WorkHuman is central to promoting positivity and representing the fabric of WorkHuman culture, and that he was shell shocked at the standing ovation he was given when the award was presented to him.

Resources

Michael Robb on LinkedIn

WorkHumanLive.com

Susan Reyburn, Library of Congress curator and contributor to the Rosa Parks: In Her Own Words exhibit, is interviewed by Mike Wood in this week’s episode of WorkHuman Radio. They discuss the contributions Rosa Parks made to the dismantling of segregation laws, including how her stance impacted workplace rights.

Living on a Tightrope

Susan shares what she discovered about Rosa Parks while putting the exhibit together. Rosa Parks, in her letters, describes living in a segregated society as constantly being on a tightrope: having to do mental and physical gymnastics to work around difficult situations, and never knowing if you might fall.

Love in Law

Rosa Parks first started using organized methods for civil rights during the Scottsboro Trials. She married Raymond Parks in 1932, with whom she shared similar opinions about racial politics. Raymond was a charter member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) branch, in Montgomery, Alabama. They worked with others to overturn the accused’s convictions and held secret meetings at their house.

Before Rosa, There was Claudette

Interestingly, Rosa was not the only one in history who resisted being told to move. What made her experience different was that its timing lined up perfectly with a boycott that Jo Ann Robinson had been planning for years. The fallout of the Bus Boycott inspired by Rosa Parks, in conjunction with the lawsuit filed by another woman, Claudette Colvin, who was forced to give up her seat, were the driving factors behind the abolition of the Jim Crow laws in Montgomery.

Workplace Rights

According to Susan, Rosa wasn’t treated well after the Bus Boycott. She was soon without a job and no one would hire her. Eventually, she began working for congressman John Conyers, and was credited with ensuring his victory after she campaigned for him. He hired her as his receptionist and as part of his social service committee, which enabled her to intervene in many workplace complaints. 

Mother of the Movement

Since the early 60’s, the black community has regarded Rosa as the mother of the modern day civil rights movement. “No one is asking for special rights,” Susan says, “they’re only asking for equal rights.”

Resources

WorkHuman Live 2020

This is part 2 of Mike Wood’s interview with Deborah Tulani Salahu-Din of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In last week’s show, Mike asked her if there was a particular artifact that resonates with her. The story she tells, and the amazing way the artifact came into her possession, is the subject of this week’s show.

Matthew Williams and the Rope

In the Segregation Era gallery of the museum there is an 8-inch piece of rope. This rope was used in the lynching of a 23-year-old African American man, Matthew Williams, in Salisbury, Michigan in 1931. Deborah’s search for artifacts relating to Paul Henderson led her to the discovery of the rope. Henderson himself was present at the lynching; he secured a piece of the rope, and wrote a note about the event. Deborah comments, “It was almost as if he was speaking from the grave and telling the story of racial violence against Matthew Williams and the broader story of lynching and the spectator sport that it had become.” 

Resources

Deborah’s article about Matthew Williams and the Rope

In this second installment of WorkHuman Radio’s month long series celebrating Black History Month, Mike Wood visits the National Museum of African American History and Culture and chats with museum specialist Deborah Tulani Salahu-Din about what the museum has in terms of artifacts and objects, as well as the stories behind them. Before joining the museum, Deborah worked in higher education; in her present role she has been able to merge her expertise in African American literature into the exhibitions.

The Museum’s Origins

The museum was first conceptualized as a way to recognize African Americans who served in the military. The idea evolved into a national edifice to recognize the achievements of African Americans in all fields, and to use the African American experience as a lens through which to examine American history as a whole. Legislation passed in 2003 under the Bush administration gave the mandate for the museum’s creation. Construction began in 2012 and the museum was officially opened in 2016.

6 Floors of History

African American history, from pre-slavery days in West Africa to present day is on display in the 6 floors and 11 galleries of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Deborah says that although the exhibitions display America’s tortured past, it is still a celebratory expression of the resilience African Americans had and still have in the face of adversity. In describing the layout of the museum, she mentions that young people will particularly enjoy learning how to step dance on the interactive stepping floor. Two other notable exhibits are the Making A Way Out of No Way Gallery, and the Culture Gallery which showcases how African American culinary arts influenced American cuisine.

Roots

Mike asks about the family history resource at the museum. Deborah replies that you can come to the museum to discover your lineage and the staff will help you search for at least 30 minutes. She mentions that the museum will be opening a new exhibit on Pauli Murray, author of Proud Shoes, activist and the first woman to serve as a priest in the Episcopalian Church.

Resources

NMAAHC.si.edu

In honor of Black History Month, Workhuman Radio goes on location to some historical places in Washington D.C. with special guests. This week, Mike Wood visits the Martin Luther King, Jr monument with Tamara Rasberry, HR professional and expert in diversity and inclusion. They talk about what diversity and inclusion means today, and why opportunity and recognition must accompany them.

A Struggle for Recognition

CHRO at Globoforce, Steve Pemberton, said that recognition is the bridge between diversity and inclusion. Mike comments that at its core, the African American struggle through history has been a struggle for recognition. As she looks at the MLK monument, Tamara muses that African Americans still fight today for so many of the things that MLK fought for. “We still have so much work to do to achieve civil rights and equality for everyone,” she says. “Where can we start, and what can I do?”

There’s Always Hope

Mike asks if Tamara believes there is hope that things will be different for the younger generation. She responds that we always have to hope. Without hope you don’t have anything, she says. However, change is slow. We have to teach children the history and what their ancestors fought for, so that they understand why it’s important to take a stand and to treat everyone with dignity and respect even if they’re different from you. 

Opportunity Must Come With Diversity and Inclusion

Tamara says that both her parents were usually one of the only black people at their jobs. As inspiring as their stories are, it points to the fact that opportunities were not the same for persons of color, otherwise there would have been more diversity. Even today, persons of color are not given equal opportunities, and are treated differently. Before someone will listen to you, Tamara points out, they first have to respect you. When you’re not respected because of your race or gender, your struggle to be heard is that much harder. 

Mike asks Tamara to describe the difference between diversity and inclusion, and why inclusion should be at the forefront. Without inclusion, diversity means nothing, Tamara responds. Just having different ethnicities, genders and culture in your workplace is not enough, especially if they are not afforded the same opportunities or the same voice. All your employees should feel included, like they belong; they should not feel like they're outsiders because they're different.

Resources

Tamara Rasberry on LinkedIn

In this week’s show, Dr. Evian Gordon shares important insights about the brain as well as an innovative product that is now being used by corporations across the country. Dr. Gordon is a scientist and medical doctor who specializes in research into the total brain. He set up the world’s first standardized integrative database about how the brain works to try to discover key patterns and how to convert those insights into applications.

An Innovative Product

Mike asks Dr. Gordon to relate some insights gained from the database and how he applied those insights into his product. Dr. Gordon responds that the brain’s four main capacities are emotion, feeling cognition and self control, and they use three measures for each of them. The essence of the Total Brain product is the online assessment which gives you a snapshot of your total brain, including your mental health, in 20 minutes. 

Major Insight

The more you know about how the brain actually works, the more impact you can have, Dr. Gordon says. The biggest insight his work has revealed is that emotions drive the show. Emotions pick up on cues, and they have our biases. Emotions shape the way we perceive a situation more than our rational mind. If you don’t have emotional awareness, you’re going to be hijacked by your emotions, Dr. Gordon says. He points out that emotions drive your feelings, which is how you deal with risk and reward. His product offers users 50 ways they can get their total brain working more effectively.

One Thing You Can Do

Mike comments that WorkHuman’s mission is to make work a better place. However, stress is a major challenge because it follows us. Practices such as mindfulness and unplugging can help us deal with stress. He asks Dr. Gordon to describe some easy practices to help workers increase their productivity and their overall wellbeing. First and foremost, get an insight into how your own emotions and how they lead to your feelings, Dr. Gordon advises. Tune in to your default mode and focus on breath as a supplement to your mindfulness practice.

Resources

Get the Free TotalBrain.com Assessment

This week’s guest on WorkHuman Radio is Jacob Morgan, TED keynote speaker, four-time bestselling author, and creator of the Future of Work University. Jacob chats with Mike Wood about his soon-to-be-released book, The Future Leader, and how to become the kind of leader the future needs.

Leadership in the Future

Jacob teamed up with LinkedIn to research the trends shaping future leaders, the greatest challenges that future leaders will have to overcome, and the mindsets and skills that future leaders will need to possess. Some aspects of leadership are timeless and will remain constant. However, the impact of artificial intelligence and technology, globalization and the changing nature of talent are some of the issues that will shape how we conduct business in the future. As such, the future demands that leaders possess what Jacob calls The Notable Nine - a collection of four specific mindsets and 5 skills.

What is Leadership?

Most of the 140 CEOs that Jacob interviewed found it difficult to define leaders and leadership. Jacob comments that we all assume we know who a good leader is and what good leadership is, but that’s simply not true. He says that we should start by writing down our definition of leadership, because that will determine the filters we put in place. Mike adds that WorkHuman helps its clients tie their vision to their values, and everything trickles down from that. Jacob responds that many organizations have similar values. What’s different is how these values come to life.

A Tremendous Opportunity

His research showed that more than 50% of leaders believe that they successfully practice leadership skills and mindsets. Interestingly, of the 14,000 employees surveyed, less than 10% rated their leaders as performing very well. Jacob points out that if the people who work for you don’t say that you're doing a good job, then you're not doing a good job. It really doesn't matter what you think about yourself as a leader. This presents a tremendous opportunity to step up and practice these skills and mindsets, and teach others to do the same. Your job as a leader is to build yourself up to become a lighthouse, and also to guide other people.

Resources

The Future Leader book

TheFutureOrganization.com

We’re doing something a little different this 2019. Each month, we’re highlighting a specific human from Globoforce and learning all about their stories. Today, we have Laury D'Oliveira, our Office Manager and all-around cultural energizer. She’s sharing what it’s like to be the support system of the company, and will robots be taking over our jobs soon?

Early life

Laury grew up in Central Massachusetts as the middle child of seven kids, from a family of very strong women. When she was younger, she wanted to be a lawyer because she felt there were injustices in the world that she could help fix. She was always taking care of everybody, and it’s carried through her entire life. In college, she took up Psychology at Fitchburg State University.

Family life

She met her first husband when she was younger and they had two boys. After they decided to move on from one another, she was a single mom for a while. Laury shares how the support she had from her mother in raising her kids meant never needing a babysitter outside the family.

Daniel, her eldest, was a marine. He’s presently a personal trainer and hopes to open a gym where he can help veterans. The youngest, Jordan, is a teacher’s assistant and works with boys from difficult backgrounds.  

She met her second husband, Paul, through work, even though she wasn’t looking for a relationship at the time. He never shied away from taking on the responsibility of raising her two boys, and she now introduces him as their father.

How did you start working for Globoforce?

The engineering firm she was working for was closing, and she came across a listing for a payroll administrator. She threw in her résumé and got the call to interview about the position.

The interview began typically, but at one point it had transformed into a warm conversation. It was the best interview she’d ever done. Her interviewer even told someone, “Don’t bother interviewing anyone else. We have who we need.” Two days later, she was offered the job.

What does your role here look like?

Laury started as the payroll person, but as she became familiar with how the company functioned, what was needed where and who needed what, she was asked if she wanted to be the Office Manager. Naturally, he said yes. At its core, it’s a job that helps people do their jobs better, and that’s just who she is.

If someone at the office has something going on in their lives, they can come to her about it. She (and Globoforce) believe that if they can help people in their outside lives, what they do during their time working will be much more productive because they can give so much more of themselves. Helping them deal through life and navigate doctors’ appointments and after-school activities just makes sense.

What is your biggest accomplishment?

Her children. They love giving back and understand that service to others and supporting each other is important. They’re caring human beings who aren’t afraid to fight for what is right: they’re not going to see someone struggling and say, well, that’s not my problem. It is. It’s all of our problems.

What do you see work becoming like in the next couple of years, especially with AI and robots coming in?

Globoforce will always have humans. There’s something to be said about eye contact, interacting with one another, and actually caring about each other’s days. A connection with another human being will always make things better, and despite all the negativity in the world today, we can — and must — be the light.

Resources

Laury D'Oliveira (LinkedIn)