Disqus - Latest Comments for Strahan

Re: added visuals

Strahan — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:26:09 -0000

Your stuff is great. Partnership with iFractal is a great enhancement as well. I use them professionally and think extremely highly of them all.

Bill

Re: Daylight Savings 2007 Checklist for HR

Strahan — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 13:08:45 -0000

Wow. I would not have thought of this stuff. Glad you did and that I read KnowHR.Com/blog.

More for your consulting dollar.

Thanks.

Re: The Old Blackberry-and-Chain

Strahan — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:29:08 -0000

Finger Puppet are the artificial intelligence of Blackberrys

Re: The World’s Shortest Blogging Policy

Strahan — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 10:40:31 -0000

What a great idea. Speak to people in simple English. Show them the respect that you show your friends, family and "peers" at work by assuming that they understand the essence of being a grown up in America. Speak to them naturally, and I bet that they will act naturally well.

Re: What Everybody in HR Ought to Know About Blogs and How to Read them Fast

Strahan — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 13:16:05 -0000

Thanks again - I have added two more blogs today to my Google Reader. Previously I only had iFlipFlop and KnowHR. Now I also have TechCrunch and David Maister - because of you!!!

Thanks.

Re: For More Creativity, Raise the Roof

Strahan — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:44:57 -0000

This is one of those reports (not posting - report) that makes me happy that one of my favorite words is "horseshit".

Did the cave gal who invented fire have a cave with a high roof?

Does a U-boat commander who outsmarts lend lease convoys and their escorts have a really tall U-boat?

Did Michaelangelo have to climb down the scaffolding to think about what God looked like creating man and then climb back up to merely execute?
Is it the high ceiling or the low floor?

Did Steve Jobs, Bill Hewlett and Bill Gates have garages with really tall ceilings?

Would early Native Americans have created "American Idol" before Simon if pueblos weren't just so damn short.

Horseshit - it's a wonderful word.

Re: Advice to HR Writers: Pluck Your Little Flowers

Strahan — Tue, 01 May 2007 14:29:01 -0000

This is great advice. The paradox is sometimes that if you say less but its important, they remember more.

Re: All Work and No Play

Strahan — Tue, 22 May 2007 08:13:30 -0000

Fun does also not have to be completely divorced from a typical day work style. My favorite consultant and I were in my office just yesterday laughing like 8 yrs talking about succession planning in our HR department. Crying because you are laughing so hard not only fills you with creativity stimulating endorphins but gives you a shot of O2 that has to help. If you are in any kind of creative business making sure that fun is part of your standard approach will make you better at your job.

Re: Just Brilliant

Strahan — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:10:32 -0000

Brutal.

Re: Help Employees Understand the Value of Their Benefits

Strahan — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:32:40 -0000

Solid advice Frank. Thanks.

Re: Hubris and Hiding Poke a Hole in Whole Foods

Strahan — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:44:35 -0000

The scariest thing in this for me is "what else?" Is that bread REALLY organic? Is it really fresh today or but today do you really mean this week.

When the truth is set aside into darkness for expediency by a leader, those who are lead pick up the message. Sometimes then even lie to the liar, by mutual consent, to get "the job done" but in a way that the leader can deny knowing how it got done.

Bill

Re: HR Communication Lesson: Speak Plainly

Strahan — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 13:16:10 -0000

I bet that style of writing and communicating is also much more fun for the communicator!

Re: HR Shadow Puppets

Strahan — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:30:00 -0000

Wow, that was the coolest thing that I have seen all week.

If I could do shadow puppets like that, I would never touch another Powerpoint again.

Re: Google Interview Questions

Strahan — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:30:27 -0000

I thought the Google question was an observation on my golfing ability. The answer is "about 24 holes worth of shanks."

Re: An Odd Thing about HR Communication Consulting

Strahan — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 10:01:13 -0000

Next time you are asked for a sample, give it to them. Right on their desk. But be sure to not use the little dixie cup.

Re: Employee Communication with the Human Flipbook

Strahan — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:50:39 -0000

If Denver and Philly International are true to form you will be able to do a filp book of the entire Bible.

Good luck on a good seat.

Re: Communication Lesson for the Day

Strahan — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 09:38:19 -0000

Pictures that are created either in words or images help trigger emotions quicker. Sometimes they are the perfect draw to get the reader to the longer narrative where the action is really taking place.

Re: 10 Ways to Know It’s Time to Dump Your Consultant

Strahan — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:19:13 -0000

Solid.

Re: HR Jargon Threat Advisory

Strahan — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:02:54 -0000

Better keep your duct tape near by to tape the bad communication closed.

Re: Just Say No to National Boss’s Day

Strahan — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:35:55 -0000

"Nothing so conclusively proves a man's ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead"

Thomas J. Watson

That was inscribed on a card I saw today. Maybe we have something called "National Leaders Day"

Re: HR Measurement: The Difference Between Correlation and Causality

Strahan — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 17:30:17 -0000

Albert is so right (like you). One resource that I use to constantly keep myself in check is reading a column in the Wall Street Journal called "The Numbers Guy". Each column is a detailed explanation about the proper or improper use of quantitative analysis, or data, or the description of numbers.

If you want a great exercise, look up the archives of the column. In it he has a quiz that is used by an editor to determine if writers can express numerical concepts and facts accurately in their writing. I use it with my HR team to reinforce that it's not just about the number being correct, it's describing to the audience what that number is correct about. What does that number mean. I am in Compensation and Benefits - we use numbers all of the time and making sure that our lay person audience really understands us is a matter of business and ethical responsibility.

Re: A Few Good Creative Men

Strahan — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:40:09 -0000

What makes this so funny to me, is the suggestion of the rage just below the surface of a marketing guy. You EXPECTED Col Jessup to blow up - the man is a warrior, he needs to explode with violent rage - at least some point in his career - to do his job.

The funniest thing to me is the suspection that all of the marketing/communications/advertising types I have pissed off over the years, have a similar rage just below the surface. Their career doesn't really allow it but somehow, you think that they wish it did.

I am sure that like many people, you have given that speech in the shower or in the in car or just inside your head. Now, Frank, you have two versions to choose from.

Re: How Many of You Wrote Your Open Enrollment Materials in Plain English This Year?

Strahan — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:20:22 -0000

We have taken a strong position on drafting our employee compensation and benefit information in plain english. We use short sentences and common words. We did not however, dumb down the document. We simply say it in a way that "normal people" would discuss the matter at their kitchen table. We make it clear that there are important details that are in plan documents which are in fact, harder to read.

The payoff is that 87% of our workforce (of almost 90,000 people) rate our benefit plans as 4 or 5 on a 5 point scale (5 is good). Our survey vendor tells us that the score is at the 99th percentile of employee satisfaction.

People like to be treated as the grown ups they are, even while they acknowledge that they are ERISA lawyers.

Re: What You Can Learn About HR Communication from FEMA’s Fake News Conference

Strahan — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:10:38 -0000

Is the fortune cookie version of the lesson learned here - "Always engage in communication; never give a performance."

Re: Go G-Hog: Another Recruiting Video Goes Horribly Wrong

Strahan — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:51:57 -0000

I am not so sure. I am pretty sure this is worse.

Re: I Want to Hire People Who Push the Revolving Door

Strahan — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:36:04 -0000

This is an outstanding analogy. I love it!

Re: HR Communication Lesson: Surprise Them

Strahan — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:48:34 -0000

This is the November 2008 selection for:

"Idea I Am Mostly Likely to Rip-Off and Show My Superiors As My Own Work"

Thanks for being networked to the world in a way that you can bring this to KnowHr.com/Blog

Re: Unique Isn’t Always What It’s Cracked Up to Be

Strahan — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:54:13 -0000

Is this unattributed copyrighted material?

Re: Billion Dollar Idea for HR: Cut Meetings in Half

Strahan — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:30:53 -0000

1. This is brillant. Thanks.

2. "the copyright question" not sure what the heck was wrong with my raisin bran yesterday. Sorry to throw a grendade.

Re: A Note to Managers About Deception

Strahan — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 10:32:14 -0000

Great observation. It brings to my mind, two different thoughts.

It's not necessarily about you - it might be about HR, or Management, or paunchy, balding, red-headed, middle aged guys (your truly). People may assign to us a "deceiver label" because of their past experience. The beauty of a unique HR voice for your company's communication is that it helps you break out of the old label - especially if it is a bad one.

The other thought is the longer you go without an employee thinking you have decieved them, the longer momentum of building credibility with the employee. In other words, get the most important messaging out first.

Re: The Ultimate Pay for Performance Song: Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Strahan — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:34:08 -0000

This made me laugh out loud. Thanks KHR! Also, much like PFP there are many who claim it is a myth and not real. As an HR guy and a Comp guy both, I can assure you - yes Virginia, there is pay for performance.

Re: KnowHR Named by HR World as One of the 25 Top HR Influencers of 2007

Strahan — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:09:25 -0000

works for me.

Re: Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Imagined

Strahan — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:19:39 -0000

After I read this I went and took a long hard look in the mirror. I felt really bad.

I kept thinking how hideous that poor bastard must be that came in second when I got hired. He's probably working in a side show even as we speak.

Re: Communicate…Then Wait

Strahan — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 13:54:18 -0000

Great advice. Two thoughts from me.

This reminds me of one of my two or three favorite quotes. It is from the Buddha. A common command of course, especially from parents and managers is "don't just stand there, DO something!" The Buddha teaches - "don't just do something, stand there."

Second thought is a time when I took the advice of Frank and Buddha. We put out some communication about benefits and pay, intended to hit an hourly workforce and use some humor. The materials included the line, "[N]obody says, 'got to use my disability beneift - YEAH!'" The point was that everybody likes more pay, but we don't always "like" the value in our benefits.

After printing 90,000 copies of this thing, the president of the company asked me at a meeting of our "executive committee" about the piece, he picked it up and happened upon the "diability" line. He slowly looked up and asked me, non-rhetorically, if I was crazy. My only response was to ask him if he thought he would: 1. read the next line and 2. ever forget this benefit statement among the many that he had read. The only additional response on my part was silence.

That was this past fall. As of Friday, I still had a job there.

Re: Communicate…Then Wait

Strahan — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:57:20 -0000

BTW - Frank and his firm iFractal are the house communications for me and my company.

Re: Business Slang: Top 10 Spoiled Sports Sayings

Strahan — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:43:47 -0000

Nothing more can be added to Steve's comments plus the original post.

Re: A Good Story About Executive Compensation

Strahan — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:08:22 -0000

Agree that this is all good but just to be clear Comcast is NOT short on cash. Even in missing the street's expecations the company still produced Free Cash Flow (not made up earning numbers - real cash) of $2.3 Billion!

This is a story of the right people doing the right things even if they didn't have to!

Re: How Not to Dress for a Job Fair

Strahan — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:11:02 -0000

Where did you get the picture of Eliot Spitzer?

Re: Resume…Hey, What Rhymes with “Resume”?

Strahan — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:05:35 -0000

Resume rhymes with "go away".

Get post on multiple levels. Everyone who is in a position to make a great deal knows the stars in their world or at least recognizes a rising star when one emerges.

Re: HR Communication Lesson: You’re the Executive Editor

Strahan — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:19:07 -0000

One of the beautiful outcomes of your advice is that your work is more authentic. People like authentic. Authentic is also much, much easier to present.

Re: Human Capital Devalued Against the Euro

Strahan — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:05:12 -0000

I traded a rookie human capital for a world series year Mike Schmidt and a Nolan Ryan.

Re: Are You Wiki Worthy?

Strahan — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:00:18 -0000

Small words that make sense at the kitchen table.

Re: Advice to HR Generalists

Strahan — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:01:01 -0000

Powerful words. Thanks.

Re: Why Doesn’t HR Talk to the Press More Often?

Strahan — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:15:03 -0000

Q.E.D.

Re: KnowHR Recommendation: Add HumanMarkets to Your Daily Read

Strahan — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:32:05 -0000

Thanks for the reference Frank. I appreciate it.

Re: Best Definition of Employee Engagement Ever

Strahan — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:44:47 -0000

... so there.

Re: How Do You Pay for Big Ideas?

Strahan — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:27:33 -0000

Both are important and need to be rewarded.

Where are you in the business cycle? Early entrants or innovators have to pay top dollar for the best ideas. As companies unfold, crisp execution need more of a relative focus.

One thought is pay the idea folks in equity or something like equity for the long haul. Pay executors in the short to medium haul (make sure that the execution is sticky before you pay for all of it.)

If an idea person is not willing to let some of their compensation stake ride on the long-term execution of the idea - don't pay'em or don't pay'em much. However, if they are (even if they will not be with you at the time of fruition), give them a reason to bring you their best thought first.

Finally, know the market place. Ideas worth paying for should be value in the conditions to come, not the ones you just lived through.

Know your business model and your place in it's development cycle above all.

Re: Where’s the Diversity in HR?

Strahan — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:26:06 -0000

One of the things that I have seen is a shift in the compensation markets for HR talent. Several years ago, I am pretty sure that the big money was in consulting (HR with a P&L). As companies became much more focused on the power of being a superior competitor in talent markets, they assigned a higher value on HR. Then, they paid more; more than the consultants.

Business people know about risk and reward. And... they will go where the money is - (Willie Sutton does HR).

We will get more business people, as, and we are, paying people like business people.

Re: Advice for Employees in an Economic Downturn

Strahan — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:57:36 -0000

There are two decisions that someone can make about your employment - both decisions are market-type actions.

First one is - should you be in the job or is there a better alternative in the labor market. If you are not adding value (on a net-after compensation basis) worry about how to become more valuable for the problems the organization faces today.

Second one is different - regardless of who is in the role, "Is this job really needed?" Know whether or not the role you are in makes a contribution to what is important for your organization today. One strategy if it isn't... find something that is, that you can do and suggest that your original position go the way of all things. People love self-starters who can see the forest for the trees and think of the group first.

Your job security is about your level of competitiveness in a market. The organization has plenty of places to invest scarce resources. Make sure that you understand the market for internal investment.

Re: How to Relocate Employees During an Economic Downturn

Strahan — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:07:55 -0000

Thanks for the word Frank! Love the connection.

Re: I Don’t Need a Weatherman to Tell Me If It’s Raining at My House

Strahan — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:03:23 -0000

Go with your gut. Know what you know... HR.

"One man with courage is a majority"
Thomas Jefferson

Re: The Breakthrough Imperative: KnowHR Book Review

Strahan — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:47:45 -0000

I think this is a great recommendation. It may be on my Kindle tonight!

Re: Summer Hours Make for Happy Employees

Strahan — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:25:17 -0000

As I write this, my PC clock says it's 1:24. obviously that is wrong. It should say 36 minutes to summer.

We are closing at 2 p.m. today. A colleague and I talked about it earlier as such a benefit. It makes everyone feel like a grown up. Trusted to get the work of the day and the week and the quarter done but also the work of summer.

Great post.

Re: HR Gardening Tip of the Day: The Best Time to Plant a Tree

Strahan — Wed, 28 May 2008 23:52:48 -0000

I think that this is a really good lesson for those of us who aspire to transending being good HR managers and moving on to be true HR executives.