Workhuman Radio

Karen Eber is a culture and leadership development strategist with over 20 years experience working with global corporations like Deloitte, Hewlett Packard, and GE. She helps them shape leadership development, culture, and team effectiveness, by using strategies such as storytelling. She joins Todd Schnick and Mike Wood to discuss how she uses storytelling to help companies create culture.

What is Culture?

Todd comments that culture is one of those concepts that everyone would define differently. He asks Karen how she defines the term. She responds that culture is everyone’s experience of how work is done. Culture is all of the moments of how we interact each day, how work gets done, and what we encourage or discourage. That’s why everyone's definition is different, she explains. She teaches leaders that it comes down to the environment they create, so they need to model the culture they want to create, yet leave enough room for teams to work out how they are going to live out those values. Mike agrees that the culture is going to develop at the lower levels on its own, and it just needs some guidance from the top to reinforce those positive behaviors. Also, the more people are recognized for the positive attributes they bring to the company culture, the more likely they are to stay at that company.

The Power of Storytelling

When Karen started using stories to share values and leadership behaviors, she saw employees begin to discuss those ideas, reflect on them and become more intentional in following them. This proved to her the power of stories to start a conversation, to impart new thinking and to allow for reflection and intention to take place. She even uses stories to get leaders to understand the power of stories!

How to Tell a Story

Karen’s storytelling model is very basic: a story has a beginning (the context), a middle (the conflict), and an end (what happens). She explains that she helps people to build a toolbox of stories from their experiences, then write out a sentence for the beginning, middle and end. This tightens the story and gives people a takeaway. It also helps them develop their storytelling muscles. Mike asks how you can stop people from telling boring stories. Karen says that it starts with finding stories from your own experiences. Think of some nugget of information that you want to communicate and start there. Don’t ramble on and on. 

Resources

KarenEber.com

This week’s show was recorded Live from HR Tech 2019. Host Mike Wood interviews employment lawyers Heather Bussing and Kate Bischoff, who are working to eliminate gender bias and discrimination. They talk about the adversarial culture, and how to create a discrimination-free workplace culture.

The Adversarial Culture

Our culture is heavily adversarial. Everything is us vs them, including the way we do politics and pass laws and create organizations. When you have a system based on having an enemy, there must always be a constant stream of new enemies. In addition, many employees do not feel valued, respected and seen at work, which feeds into the feeling of adversarialism. This is why discrimination is still the biggest issue in employment today.

Creating a Discrimination-Free Workplace

Mike asks if we are finally seeing progress towards equality. Both Heather and Kate say that we haven’t even started, because the people who can actually do something about the issue, refuse to acknowledge the problem. They point out that creating a discrimination-free culture is a daily practice. You move forward, you may slip back at times, but you keep moving. 

Resources

Heather Bussing on LinkedIn 

Kate Bischoff on LinkedIn

Mike Wood chats with Dan Tomasulo, who will be one of the presenters at WorkHuman Live 2020. Dan is a core faculty member at Teachers College Columbia University in the Spirituality Mind Body Institute (SMBI). He teaches Positive Psychology, as well as the Optimal Wellbeing program. Mike and Dan talk about positive psychology and the power of gratitude and hope.

WorkHuman Live 2020Dan will share practical strategies for intentional self-care in his keynote at WorkHuman Live 2020. He says that deadlines and busy schedules make us forget to take care of ourselves. However, it’s intentional self-care that will boost our productivity. We need to recharge to work at our very best. 

The Power of GratitudeMike asks Dan what are some simple things we can do to take care of ourselves. Dan responds that one simple practice that has powerful effects, is to do a 90-second gratitude review of the day before, every morning. Gratitude is wired into many performance elements, into our sense of self, into our feelings of joy and connectedness and relationship. Doing a gratitude review has the power to change your perspective of the day past, even though we have a natural negativity bias.

American Snake PitDan relates how he helped deinstitutionalize Willowbrook, the worst asylum in American history. His experimental group home, which he says was designed to fail, helped his patients thrive. What he found was that once people are given the right opportunity, they flourish. Mike agrees that people need purpose in their work. Productivity increases when workers feel a sense of positivity, connection and purpose.

Positive PsychologyDan shares three key resources for listeners to learn more about positive psychology.

The Power of HopeMike asks about Dan’s Ask a Therapist section at PsychCentral.com. Dan says that they receive about 2500 questions a month, and what he sees most often is that people are looking for a sense of hope. He says that a large part of his responses are giving people something tangible to work on that will change their expectations of the future, which makes them more positive and energetic in their day to day functioning.

Resources:Dan’s memoirs: American Snake Pit PsychCentral.com WorkHuman blogWorkHuman Live 2020

Todd Schnick and Mike Wood are happy to welcome fellow podcasters Lars Schmidt and Laurie Ruettimann to this week’s show. Lars is the founder of Amplify, a recruiting, employee brand strategy and HR executive search company, and host of the recently launched 21st Century HR podcast. Laurie hosts the Let’s Fix Work podcast where she shares great ideas from smart people who are passionate about improving the world of work. The group have a lively conversation about how putting employees first benefits a business, and the future of HR.

The Journey is Rewarding Laurie is writing her second book which will soon be published. She remarks that having a dream is one thing, but acting on your dream is something else. It's daunting to know that someone can say no after you’ve put in all your effort. But if I don't do it I'm gonna regret it, she says, so I'm absolutely doing it. Todd commends her for working towards her dream. It's good to strive for and achieve something big, he says, but what you're gonna find is that the process of getting there was truly rewarding.

Everything Comes Back to HumansAttendees at the WorkHuman conference were shown data that proves the better you treat your employees, the longer their tenure and the better your business results. Everything comes back to humans, says Lars.

The Future of HRLaurie sees the HR conversation shifting to a discussion around distributed workforces in the near future. More and more work is being done through contractors and collaborators, so government agencies have to be prepared to address issues of benefits, wellness and retirement contributions. Lars’ view is that the ideas about AI and blockchain taking over HR, are out of touch with reality, or at least years into the future. He feels that technology would allow HR teams of the future to focus more on catering to all employees.

Removing Drama from WorkTodd asks Laurie to elucidate on removing drama from work. You can fix work by fixing yourself, she responds. Focus on your own internal issues, prioritize your relationships. Make friends in your industry and within your work community. Fix your own stuff and learn to optimize your own potential. When you focus on what really matters, all the other stuff, including work, figures itself out.

ResourcesAmplifyTalent.com 21stCenturyHR.com Lars Schmidt on LinkedIn Lars on Twitter - @lars

Laurie Ruettimann

This week’s show features another Human of WorkHuman, Joyce Silvia. Joyce is a Consultant with the Strategy and Consulting team. Her team partners with other departments and teams in the company to support clients. Coming from a Communications background, Joyce loves sharing on social media. She brings some of that background into helping their clients succeed. What Brought Joyce to WorkHumanHost Mike Wood asks Joyce what brought her to WorkHuman. Like many of their employees, she was a referral. As it’s often said, the best employees come from other employees. Clearly, Joyce says, when you love where you work, you want to have other people join you as well. She describes how a chance discussion with her friend and colleague, Colleen Finnerty, set the wheels in motion for her to join WorkHuman.

Baking HappinessJoyce is a great baker and often brings her creations to the office. Mike enjoys the chocolate chip cookie dough brownies that she makes. She describes herself as a bake sale type of baker as she loves making cookies and bars.  It brings her joy to see people eating and enjoying her baked goods. The world has become more global in its perspective and this has translated into food, Joyce says. The new American ideal is the blending of cultures and creating new things.

What Joyce Loves About WorkHumanMike asks what Joyce enjoys most about her role at WorkHuman. She says that she loves knowing that her work will change from day to day with each new client. She gets an inside view of the client’s company culture, their values, and what their employees are like. She also gets to visit a lot of these sites. Joyce says, “I love that I get to work with these companies to help do something great for their employees and make sure they're being recognized for their great work... It's never boring.” 

ResourcesJoyce’s Twitter: @JoyceCSilva

Tara Greeley, Area Director for the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in Massachusetts, joins host Mike Wood this week for a special edition of WorkHuman Radio. They talk about the AFSP’s advocacy work and how to help someone who may be contemplating suicide.

How Can I Help?In her presentation to Work Human, Tara mentioned that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US and the rate is increasing year after year. Mike asks her what we can do to help. She responds that on an interpersonal basis, we can let someone who may be struggling or contemplating suicide know that they're important and that we value them being here. She emphasizes that you never know when just checking in with someone could make their day or potentially save their life.

Warning Signs of SuicideMike notes that after someone has died by suicide, it’s common for family and friends to say that the person seemed happy and fine. He asks Tara to describe some warning signs we can look out for that might tell us if a loved one is contemplating suicide. She says to look out for the following:They talk about suicide. They may say things like, “I just don’t want to be here anymore,” or “I feel alone,” or “I feel like I'm a burden to others.''They isolate themselves from family and friends or withdraw from their favorite activities.They might experience depression or apathy or completely change their regular behavior; for example, if they are usually a well-ordered person, they may suddenly become spontaneous.They may use drugs and alcohol more often.

Advocacy Work of AFSPTara describes how the AFSP has been working with organizations and persons to help prevent suicides. Some TV shows may contain triggers for persons struggling with thoughts of suicide. High-profile suicide deaths, such as Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, can also impact persons who feel connected to them. She mentions the work her organization did with Netflix to remove triggering scenes and language. They have also worked to ensure that the reporting of suicide deaths has increased. She emphasizes that with suicide, it’s never just one cause: it’s a combination of several factors coming together at one time that causes someone to take their own life.

Change the LanguageMike asks Tara about the language we should use when talking about suicide. She responds that you must use safe language in order to remove the stigma and judgment around conversations about mental health and suicide. Two main language changes are:Avoid saying “committed” suicide: use “death by suicide”, “took his or her own life” or “killed himself or herself”. Avoid saying “failed attempt” or “successful attempt”: just say “suicide attempt”.

Help is AvailableIf you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255, or you can text the Crisis Line at 741741. Both of these platforms are available 24/7.

ResourcesAFSP.orgAFSP.org/Massachusetts

Paul Batz is the CEO/Founder of Good Leadership and the author of How Goodness Pays. In today’s show, he chats with hosts Todd Schnick and Mike Wood about the 7 Fs, creating a culture of goodness and how teams come together in a crisis.

The 7 FsPaul defines goodness as creating an environment where people thrive together in a culture of encouragement, accountability, and positive teamwork. As a leader, it’s your job to help your team succeed personally and professionally. Paul uses the 7 Fs wheel in his coaching business to illustrate a successful life. The 7 Fs are:FaithFamilyFinancesFitnessFriendsFunFutureHe believes that we can grow in any one of these areas as much, or more, at work as we would at home. 

FaithTodd asks why faith is such a critical element since it is not usually something you think about when discussing work. Paul says that it's a myth that the faith conversation doesn't belong in the workplace. Faith, in the context of goodness in leadership, recognizes the connection between mind, body and spirit. When things get difficult, it's natural to think about faith. When we open our hearts to faith, people come together, learn from each other, and begin the thriving process. On the other hand, if employees don't see their leaders as faith-worthy or as having a moral compass, they would not believe that the organization would do the right thing during a crisis.

Coming Together in a CrisisThe opposite of goodness is not greed and evil.  Paul says that it is actually Superhero Leadership and short-term thinking. While superhero leadership is glorified in the media, in real life, no-one wants to be rescued. The teams that decide to stick together during a crisis come out better. People who care about each other will create unprecedented teamwork because of a crisis. 

Creating a Culture of GoodnessThere are four cornerstones on which you build a culture of goodness. These are:Excellence GenerosityFairnessPositivityEven if you work in an organization where you don't see goodness, you have an obligation to decide that fairness is going to come through you, even if it does not come to you. You may have to accept the responsibility that goodness starts with you. Anyone can take it upon themselves to radiate goodness and make sure they bring out to the goodness in other people.

Todd Schnick and Mike Wood chat with researchers Greg Stevens and Madison Beard about how companies can use data to make better business decisions. Greg is Analytics Manager at Workhuman Analytics and Research Institute. His research focuses on converting data into insights that managers and HR leaders can use to make organizations better. Madison is the Lead Data Scientist and Researcher at Cisco. The Analytics and Research team she leads studies what makes teams and leaders great at Cisco and leverages data to answer relevant, simple and actionable business problems for the company.

An Interdisciplinary ApproachMadison’s team members have various skill sets. The interdisciplinary approach combines quantitative and qualitative data to not only analyze what’s going on at Cisco, but also how people feel and what they are saying about it. Madison points out that her team owns just one piece of the data puzzle; they combine data sources from many stakeholders within the company to answer business problems such as attrition.

Start With WhyGreg says that finding early stakeholder engagement is key. It’s important to know what is the burning question you want to answer with the data, because it’s tempting to want to look at everything. Start with the Why and let that guide your mobilization of resources, Greg advises. Madison adds that you need to make good decisions about how to spend finite resources to make the biggest impact. Also, make sure that you have the sources of data to answer the questions you have.

Going FishingOne of the two modes of research Greg and his team uses is Hypothesis Generation. They don’t know which question to ask, but they know which area to look in. This exploratory nature of analytics leads to flashes of insight, he says. Madison calls this type of research going fishing. She says you go fishing expecting a salmon, and sometimes you catch a flounder. The questions you ask when you find these happy surprises may lead you to present your insights in different ways and to a different audience.

Leveraging the DataEach company is at a different point in how they use analytics. Some companies like Cisco have their own advanced infrastructure and teams in place, while other companies partner with other businesses to carry out the analytics function. Greg applauds the democratization of data: it’s easier than ever for any company to have access to resources. Madison says that leveraging data starts with data fluency. You must understand the difference between good and bad data, the business context as well as how to support leaders in making the right decisions using the data. It’s possible to leverage data even in small companies. There is a lot of insight in small data, Greg says. Just start where you are: your resources will grow as you prove the value of analytics.ResourcesNeuroleadership InstituteMadison Beard on LinkedInGreg Stevens: Workhuman Analytics and Research Institute | LinkedIn

Author and speaker Nataly Kogan joins hosts Todd Schnick and Mike Todd to talk about happiness at work. Nataly came to the US from Russia as a refugee at age 13, feeling that she had been given a huge gift and that she in turn had to make something of herself. She realized that she felt happy when she achieved something, so she pushed herself to achieve more and more. She mentions that she saw happiness as something you earned as a prize for a life well lived. On the outside, she seemed to have it all, but every time she made an achievement, the happiness she was seeking only lasted for a moment. After 20-plus years, she burned out. She shares how she stumbled upon research on happiness and how it led her to her calling to help others thrive at work through The Happier Method.

Happiness Is Not a PrizeThe first core shift that Nataly had to make was to realize that happiness isn't a prize we get for doing certain things. Happiness is not an output of a life well-lived; it's actually one of the inputs into enabling us to do our best work. If we cultivate our emotional health we perform best at the things we care about.

Happiness Is a SkillAnother core principle Nataly teaches is that happiness isn't something you feel, it's something you do. It's a skill, and like any other skill, you get better at it by practicing more. When we practice these skills intentionally we build our emotional health, and our teams build a healthy culture so that we can thrive.

Two Core PracticesTodd asks Nataly what steps employees and companies can take to start feeling and being happy. She talks about 2 of her favorite practices:Gratitude - There are more than 11,000 studies that prove that when you consistently practice gratitude as a skill, it makes you happier, more productive, more motivated and more resilient. Gratitude makes meetings more bearable and helps build more authentic relationships at work, which leads to more collaborative teams.Intentional Kindness -  When you experience rudeness at work, you reduce your work effort by 50%, and when your quality of work is reduced, you are 50% less likely to come up with creative ideas, and 90% more likely to retaliate. Kindness is the antidote. Kindness makes you feel good; it is contagious; you are more likely to do something kind when you see or experience an act of kindness; and teams with a culture of kindness are more productive, energized and engaged. Practicing kindness intentionally creates an uplifting team atmosphere, a fabric of connection and psychological safety. People are open to sharing mistakes and failures which helps everyone improve.

Changing the CultureIn response to Todd’s question, Nataly explains how she convinces company leaders to embrace employee happiness as a way to improve innovation, creativity and productivity. Nataly’s MissionTodd shares how looking through his gratitude journal helps him realize the good things that happen in his life. We have a negativity bias, Nataly says, so our brain is naturally attracted to what is negative. Gratitude is so powerful because it reverses the negativity bias and helps us focus on the positive and not take it for granted. Happiness is a lifelong practice but you also feel an immediate boost. The more you practice happiness, the stronger your long-term emotional health. Nataly stresses her mission is to democratize happiness. It's not just a nice idea, it's accessible to all of us and the only thing required is to change how we think about it and practice it.

ResourcesHappier.comNataly’s book: Happier Now - How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Embrace Everyday Moments (Even the Difficult Ones)

In this episode of WorkHuman Radio, hosts Todd Schnick and Mike Wood chat with Addie Swartz, CEO of reacHIRE, and Lauren Zajac, Chief Legal Officer at WorkHuman. They discuss the challenges women face in advancing their careers, as well as some innovative ways to address these challenges.

The Challenges Start Early for WomenThe McKinsey research last October showed that even though equal numbers of men and women start as individual contributors, men get promoted to manager 21% more. This illustrates that the challenges for women start right out the gate. If you're a woman of color, Addie says, it's twice as bad. She questions, If we can't get women to start up the pipeline, how can we expect them at middle management and senior levels? Lauren is often asked if the pay equity issue won’t be solved simply by bringing in more women. She answers that it starts there, but the problem needs to be addressed all the way through to the executive level, or else the problem will perpetuate across the board.

How Men Can HelpTodd asks what men can do to help invert the problem. Addie and Lauren list several ways men can help:Support women in their career journey;Build better companies;When a woman has a great idea, reiterate that idea as hers;Jobs shouldn’t be gender-specific;Senior executives should mentor more women.

Reducing the StigmaMike says that there is a stigma that you’re not supposed to rest or take a vacation as a man. You're just supposed to work, work, work.  Many men are afraid to take paternity or vacation leave because they may be viewed as less committed. He asks how can men get around this stigma. Addie shares an example of a Silicon Valley company which allows its employees to divide their leave up into chunks spread over four to five months. Lauren adds that this cool idea also solves the idea that women who take leave are not as committed.

Exciting New Things at WorkHumanWorkHuman has a new initiative which is very exciting. Lauren is the executive sponsor of the Women’s Network, the company’s first employee resource group. Within months the participation has exploded: the dialogue that opened up and the relationships formed amazes Lauren. The executive team conceived the idea, but they asked employees to assume responsibility for the group since they didn’t want the initiative to feel mandated or top-down. The executive team listens to the group and takes action on their suggestions. Lauren sees the Women’s Network as the blueprint for future employee resource groups.

ResourcesAddie Swartz: reacHire.comLauren Zajac: WorkHuman.com