What Is Corporate Hoarding?

Information and knowledge still represent power and this is truer in today’s economy than ever before. Organizations are learning that employee interactions constantly yield new knowledge and information that can benefit their business in tangible ways. And although many companies state that knowledge sharing is important to their business and culture, in most cases, the opposite is occurring.

Corporate hoarding — where people do not want to share knowledge because they see knowledge as a source of power — is very common, and can happen for various reasons within any given business environment, including:

• People feel that an injustice has been done to them;
• People are distrustful of coworkers or management;
• People are retaliating against behavior toward them; and/or
• The organizational and operational climate encourages or reinforces secrecy, not sharing.

In her recent piece, The Fractured Foundation of Social Learning, Radian6′s Amber Naslund accurately defined the problem:

“We don’t teach people to work together – even when we encourage group work – because ultimately our reward systems are still based on individual achievement and skills. We don’t share a grade amongst our entire class. We’re held accountable for our individual contribution and effort. Working together and contributing to a group is not the same as sharing in a collective result.“

Good Ideas Come From Sharing

In his 2010 article, TechDirt’s Mike Masnick described the innovation born from random collisions and a culture of openness:

“Almost all good ideas come from people building on the works of others, with a minor tweak here or there, or a random decision based on a suggestion from someone new, after an idea percolates for months or years. The more open systems are to sharing ideas and spreading information and allowing those collisions to happen, the more likely that new good ideas and new innovations occur.“

Mike also cites the work of entrepreneur Steven Johnson, author of Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation. Johnson’s TEDTalk encourages us to overcome IP-centric thinking, instead allowing your idea’s chocolate to easily combine with your colleague’s peanut butter:

“You have half of an idea and someone else has the other half, and if you’re in the right environment, they turn into something larger than the sum of their parts. So, in a sense, we often talk about the value of protecting intellectual property. You know, building barricades, having secretive R&D labs, patenting everything that we have, so that those ideas will ‘remain valuable’ and people will be incentivized to come up with more ideas. But I think there’s a case to be made that we should spend at least as much time, if not more, valuing the premise of connecting ideas and not just protecting them.“

This Takes More Than Technology

We have tendency lately to think that “there’s an app for that” when the roots that prevent collaboration lie much deeper. Businessweek’s Evan Rosen described this situation as follows:

“When tools fail to create value, it’s usually because decision-makers adopt tools before the company’s culture and processes are collaboration-ready. Organizations even adopt tools for the wrong reasons, primarily the belief that tools will create collaboration. Tools merely offer the potential for collaboration. Unlocking the value of tools happens only when an organization fits tools into collaborative culture and processes. If the culture is hierarchical and internally competitive, it will take more than tools to shift the culture.“

A Model For Assessing Likely Behavior

Perhaps the best and most realistic study that accurately addresses these challenges can be sourced from the INSEAD Working Paper series. The author defines four models that organizations can use to assess the likelihood of sharing versus hoarding:

• The High/High: Individuals perceiving their knowledge to be high in individual value and high in corporate value will engage in selective sharing, sharing that knowledge which might bring recognition and reward to them but concealing that knowledge which might be successfully used by others with no reward for them.
• The High/Low: Individuals perceiving their knowledge to be high in individual value and low in corporate value will engage in information hoarding, choosing to avoid sharing their knowledge but attempting to learn as much as possible from others.
• The Low/High: Individuals perceiving their knowledge to be low in individual value and high in corporate value will engage in information sharing, sharing freely with others for the benefit of the organization.
• The Low/Low: Individuals perceiving their knowledge to be low in individual value and low in corporate value will engage in random sharing, sharing freely when their knowledge is requested but not consciously sharing otherwise.

Although it may seem obvious the study also cites that, “Individuals in subunits characterized by an open communication culture will view knowledge less as an individual asset whereas individuals in subunits characterized by a closed communication climate will view knowledge more as an individual asset.” A good way to assess the challenge ahead is through this simple cultural lens.

A Closing Thought

Organizations and individuals need to have a keen sense of self awareness and avoid the tendency toward aspirational values that don’t ring true to the reality of either party. So before you declare that “corporate hoarding is dead” and expect it to magically dissipate, take a cold hard look at how you communicate, motivate, incentivize and model the same behaviors you’re attempting to eradicate. What you find may surprise you.

“I believe that there is an answer to every question our HR industry faces. It’s out there. It already exists. That’s not to say that innovation is dead, but instead that HR has done a historically lousy job of seeking answers from within.“

In the two years since that declaration I’ve spoken at over thirty HR conferences and industry events. Two obvious conclusions can be drawn from these facts – 1) I’m pretty awful at keeping New Year’s resolutions; and 2) I really don’t know when to shut up and let other people take the helm. You’ll be pleased to know that all that is about to change.

After speaking at well over 100 industry conferences and events in the past decade alone, I’m officially stepping off the stage effectively immediately. I announced this at a recent keynote and the audience seemed genuinely surprised. Lest you be equally shocked (or for many of you, elated), let me explain.

Pundits Rule The Podium

Others have written extensively on the need for active “trench HR professionals” to assert themselves more forcefully in our market’s thought leadership and overall ideation. An examination of two of our industry’s most popular events shows why practitioner concerns may be valid:

The SHRM 2011 Annual Conference – The world’s largest HR conference boasted well over 200 sessions this past June in Las Vegas. Hosted by the industry’s largest HR professional association, one would presume that active HR practitioners would have disproportionately high representation among all active speakers. This is clearly not the case as only 22 active practitioners took the stage with a mere 17 leading standalone sessions (meaning they were neither part of a panel discussion nor paired with a vendor). In other words, conference organizers allocated less than 10% of stage time to active HR professionals teaching one another.

The 2011 HR Technology Conference - The world’s largest HR technology conference fared a bit better this past October in Las Vegas. Among its 33 sessions, 26 active HR leaders participated from the stage with only two presenting standalone. Although the percentage of standalone sessions roughly matches that of SHRM, it was a bit surprising to see that HR Tech put more active practitioners in the spotlight than a conference with nine times the number of sessions.

Why This Happens

Imagine for a moment that you are a conference organizer. There are a number of factors that go into the scheduling and selection of speakers and it can be quite an onerous task to address all stakeholder concerns. But if I could venture a guess as to some of the more prevalent qualifications sought in keynoters, plenary or panel presenters, I would suspect you would want:

1) Renowned Personalities – Like it or not, our market is dominated by big personalities in academia, consulting, vendor firms, government entities, general business/leadership and celebrities. So when keynote slots open, organizers would naturally select from this target rich environment. Can you think of a single CHRO that you admire so much that it would draw you into attending an industry event?

2) A Broad Perspective – Audiences can be very quick to dismiss case studies that exemplify a singular example of success. Instead, they seek real world stories within the context of an overarching theme or lesson that is pervasive across a wide variety of industries, organizational structures and sizes. Thus, many of the anecdotes that active practitioners share may be perceived to be too narrowly focused to be valuable to the masses (thus the popularity of the panel interview format with three to four HR executives from multiple industries).

3) A Proven Presenter – Most conferences do not have the luxury of serving as an incubator for untested speakers. Thus, they want to know (and externally validate) that this isn’t your first time on stage, you know how to construct a compelling session and will not turn off 50% of attendees due to your lack of professionalism or expertise. This is an unfortunate (but understandable) Catch-22 as we tend to see the same rotation of names on the agenda year after year.

4) Dollars and Sense – It’s logical that those who pour many thousands of dollars into sponsoring and supporting industry events will want a little face time with attendees. And given that nearly all sponsorship dollars are driven by for-profit entities, you are likely to be hearing from non-HR executives who want to demonstrate thought leadership to an audience of potential buyers. Although you may see this as pay-to-play, conference organizers do try and ensure that; a) no selling occurs from the podium, and at times, b) an actual client is standing side-by-side with the sponsor.

A “Trench HR” Call To Action

It is time to compel human resource professionals to take a more active role in the thought leadership or our profession, but how do you overcome the four criteria that have been outlined above?

1) Start Small – There are literally hundreds of regional and local human resource associations scattered throughout the world. If you are an active HR practitioner and would like to build your presentation skills, this is the place to start. Approach your local leaders (or become one) and pitch an idea or concept for consideration. This could be as simple as a 30-minute roundtable discussion with a few supporting slides or handouts. As you begin to get more comfortable you can build from this success to state conferences and eventually the national stage, thereby having the past performance that the larger organizers are looking for.

2) Partner With Your Vendors – If you’ve had a particularly interesting success with one of your third-party service providers, approach them with the idea of a case study or webinar. They will typically jump at the chance of showcasing how their solution truly added value and embrace you with open arms. This can then evolve into speaking opportunities that the vendor firm secures on your behalf in either a panel or side-by-side format. This also lets others do the selling for you as most active HR pros do not have the time to put together a compelling speaking proposal from scratch.

3) Study Others – There are some great examples of active HR practitioners who have successfully grown into highly sought after industry presenters. Look to individuals such as Charlie Judy, Lisa Rosendahl, Dwane Lay and Tim Sackett on how to successfully move from the audience to the auditorium. I suspect that none of these individuals would tell you that the journey was easy or fast but I would also guess that they’re very happy to have traveled (and continue to travel) their road to success.

4) Ask For Help – It’s time for the pundits and thought leaders to not only make room for practitioners but to aid them in their journey toward the opening keynote. Sure, some may see you as a potential threat to a portion of their livelihood (since top tier presenters make decent money) but most will be more than happy to offer feedback on your concept or presentation.

A Closing Thought

Active HR practitioners need to more aggressively and purposefully get involved in presenting at industry events or forever fall victim to the messages and medium that are controlled by others. The alternative is to simply take your seat, count your credits, fill out your evaluations and wonder how in the heck that person on stage was selected to tell you how to do your job.

The choice is yours and I, for one, am on your side. I’ll consider stepping aside to be a real success when I find myself in the audience of a large event and see a familiar and smiling HR face looking down from on high – I hope that person is you.

Even the seemingly benign HR industry isn’t immune from these concerns with the settlement between Halogen and SuccessFactors reading like a SP(HR)y novel – creation of a bogus company, the duping of unsuspecting sales reps, the disclosure of proprietary information, and so on.

And although shadowy characters will always attempt to invade the halls or http’s of their competitive foes, there are two relatively obvious and quite simple means of gathering G2 without breaking a single law:

Intel Option #1: Job Postings

Curious about the location of your competitor’s new operational center? Wondering what the underlying code is for their yet-to-be-unveiled SaaS offering? Sleepless thinking about your relative pace of growth when compared to those in your domain? This is so obvious I’m almost remiss in mentioning it – simply check out your arch enemy’s career site and job postings.

We have reached a level of requisitioning maturity whereby extremely detailed job codes and underlying descriptions are almost a prerequisite for securing both internal approval and a highly targeted and talented candidate pool. Because of this move toward clarity of purpose, you can gleam an incredible amount of highly valuable information in no time flat. With a simple export and sort you can assess trending information, deconstruct growth plans, find out what tools and technologies your foe is codependent on and ascertain exactly where they might go next. It’s really quite simple.

Intel Option #2: Public Sector

Although this may not be true of very small or emerging organizations, most companies of any significant size or scale eventually dabble in the public sector. And with the public sector come four words that are often music to your competitive ears – Freedom of Information Act. FOIA is a post-Watergate provision effectively allowing any citizen to request that information be released to the public by government entities. Although exceptions do exist covering confidential business information, you’d be amazed what is disclosed under the act (visit GWU’s National Security Archive for more details).

If you aren’t willing to wait months (or sometimes years) for FOIA fulfillment, you can always try searching GSA’s Advantage site to find existing government contracts, pricing lists, and the like. Think of GSA as the procurement department of the Federal government, and since many states also purchase off of GSA schedules, this is a great means to find either direct relationships or indirect distributors that carry your competitor’s wares. You can also perform complex searches on State, County or Local sites to gather publicly available information on a wide variety of topics and issues. This one is also painfully easy.

Seriously, That’s It?

Yep, that’s it. I could offer more complex means to an end but this is not spy school and I’m not a lawyer. And trust me – I would guess that 99% of organizations hadn’t thought of how this information could be gathered so cheaply and easily. How do I know that? Because I’m always surprised by the raised eyebrows and “huh”s (followed by frantic note taking) when I describe these two techniques.

What Should I Do Next?

You should ignore this advice completely. Instead you should focus less on your competitors and more on your customers. Any good offering will always stand up to competitive threats and those who spend more effort on understanding others should redouble their efforts on understanding their clients (and themselves). I’m not suggesting that you should be cavalier or myopic in your competitive marketplace. Instead I’ve found that – more often than not – we look elsewhere for answers when they are standing right in front of us.

A Closing Thought

As former CIA counterintelligence officer (and now convicted spy) Aldrich Ames once said:

“Espionage, for the most part, involves finding a person who knows something or has something that you can induce them secretly to give to you. That almost always involves a betrayal of trust.“

Most organizations I know can rationalize their way in and out of any morally ambiguous ground. Maybe by writing this post I’ve contributed to the problem, but what if you think of it instead as a test — now that you know how to do this, should you?

When the dust settles and time passes, it’s up to you to decide if you’re in the business of the betrayal of trust. Like all real life situations, the answer is never as simple as it seems.

Now if you’re asking yourself, “Why does an HR blog feature a piece on business travel?“, let me explain. The Global Business Travel Association projects 2011 business travel spend of over $250B – that’s “B” for billion.  So if you’re in HR, this means that some percentage of your population (e.g., your sales function) and a nontrivial amount of your corporate spend may go to this category.  With that context in mind, put your tray tables in the upright and locked position as Erin prepares us for takeoff. Take it away Erin!

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I’ve always been an enthusiastic traveler. When my family went on vacations when I was younger, I was just as excited about the airplane and hotel room as I was about the theme parks and attractions. I loved everything from the flight attendant’s safety presentation to the seashell-shaped soaps in the hotel bathroom. Don’t even get me started on how excited I was by miniature bottles of shampoo.

As an adult, traveling has changed. Trips have become less of an adventure and more of a way to get from point A to point B. People who travel frequently for work purposes often find the experience more stressful than restful. Business travel might not be the most exciting way to spend your time, but it doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Here are some tips for making your business trip easier and more enjoyable:

• Pack wisely – A well-packed carry on is a must. Anyone that has ever lost luggage knows what a hassle it can be. Moreover, you don’t want to show up at your work functions in an “I Love (Insert City Here)” t-shirt that you bought from an airport gift shop. Carry your essentials on the plane with you, including at least one back-up outfit. Make sure that you consider the weather and what sort of activities you have scheduled when choosing your clothes.

• Travel comfortably – Even if your flight is short, make sure that you are dressed in something comfortable. Drink a lot of water to stay hydrated and make smart food choices. If you intend to sleep on the plane, bring noise-cancelling headphones and an eye mask.

• Separate work from travel – If you’re not going to sleep, you still shouldn’t plan on getting major work done on the plane. Turbulence, space-hogging seatmates or a kick-happy child behind you can make it impossible to accomplish anything. If you are able to squeeze in some work, than go for it. Just be sure that you have all of your necessary work done before you leave.

• Confirm all itineraries and other details – Your trip should be mapped out before you depart. Make certain that you have transportation to and from the airport. Know where your meetings and other scheduled activities are and how you will get there. Your office should also have a copy of any travel plans so they know where you are and how to reach you.

• Remember that you’re working – There is often a social element of business travel. Clients and colleagues might take you out for dinner or drinks. It’s nice to be able to have some fun, but remember that you are representing your company. There is a huge difference between a glass of wine with dinner and taking body shots off of a co-worker. Even in a different zip code, it is still necessary to remain professional.

• Enjoy yourself – Just because it is a work trip does not mean that you shouldn’t also have fun. If possible, try to break the “airport-hotel-meeting-airport” cycle. If you have any free time, try to explore the city. If you get to choose where to eat, ask the concierge to recommend a local favorite restaurant. When you’re flying, consider talking to your seatmates instead of ignoring them. Think of frequent traveling as a way to make new friends and contacts across the globe.

Though business travel might seem like an endless cycle of lists, plans and hotel lobbies, it can also be a rewarding experience. Make the most of your trips and don’t let them overwhelm you. At the end of the day, you’re accomplishing something. If that doesn’t make you happy, the miniature shampoos will!

Erin Palmer blogs on behalf of University Alliance and Villanova University. Villanova offers online programs that teach individuals to overcome the challenges of human resource management. Among the programs are HR certification courses and an HR Masters Degree. You can also follow Erin on Twitter.

Having just returned from the 14th Annual HR Technology Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas, I can safely assert a truism that I believe all attendees will corroborate – this is the preeminent HR collective where actual business gets done.

What Type of Business, Exactly?

The beauty of this event is that every type of imaginable commerce fills the halls, briefing rooms, expo booths, plenary sessions, hospitality suites, evening events and intimate dinners. Whether you’re a VC seeking to invest in the highly lucrative human capital space or a CHRO who has been tasked with securing the proper solution to what ails you, this is the place to be. Analysts swarm through a cacophony of client and provider briefings. Providers explore and consummate reseller, co-marketing, OEM or M&A transitions among their peers. Practitioners digest and procure the latest thought leadership and solutions on mission critical topics ranging from workforce analytics and talent management to social media and the candidate experience. Pundits engage in punditry. Bloggers blog. Tweeters tweet. Action is taken, minds are expanded and relationships are built.

This is why we take time from our busy schedules to throw ourselves into a foreign environment for 3+ days of frenetic activity. Over the years this particular machine has perpetuated itself because everyone who you would want to meet is either in attendance or wishing they could be. And I mean everyone.

Seriously Though, How Was It?

This was a banner year for the ever-expanding and constantly changing HR technology industry and Bill Kutik and the entire LRP team should be applauded for pulling off record attendance and a terrific event.

Could some of the signage have been better? Yes. Was the sponsored wifi (thank you ADP) spotty and unpredictable? Yes. Did some practitioners and vendors lose their minds, drink too much, make out with strangers and pass out in front of slot machines with their badges still on? Oh yes, they did (see me offline for photographic evidence of said monkey business). But perhaps the “work hard/play hard” adage shouldn’t exclude the thousands of attendees who worked their tails off during the day only to shake their tails off after dark.

It was Vegas after all.

What’s The Big Takeaway?

There is so much to consider when attending this event that I believe the biggest challenge is time management. One finds themselves in a constant trade off between dozens of competing priorities and opportunities.

Last year I mentioned that briefings were taking a valuable number of attendees away from the well-planned session content – this year was no exception. There are at least a hundred people that I wanted to see and there simply was not enough time for all. As I sip a strong coffee (did I mention it was in Vegas?) and attempt to recalibrate my sleep cycle I can’t help but wonder how the show could either be expanded or slightly reorganized to allow for the consumption of more meaningful content. Fortunately I’m just a lowly consultant so these issues are better left to conference organizers.

Final Thoughts?

This is best review I’ve ever given to a conference and there’s a reason. No, I was not paid to plug the event (quite to the contrary). Instead, I simply believe that we often struggle to find a place where we can combine our passion for our industry with the love of those who serve it. To progress professionally while engaging personally is a fine balance that’s rarely attained. I’d like to congratulate this event for walking that tightrope to the benefit of all.

As one first time conference goer told me, “The difference I see in this event is that the advice is truly actionable. It makes me feel like there is not only an energized purpose to my HR work but that I can actually pull it off!” You can. And if you can’t, I’m sure there are a few thousand fellow attendees who can show you the way. Well done all and I’ll see you next year in Chicago.

Others have already written about the sessions, vendors, debates, parties and even the pending nuptials of co-chair Bill Kutik as reason enough to pack your bags for a quick and relatively inexpensive jaunt to the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Just Google the conference name and you’ll find my peer’s reviews and associated discount codes for ticket purchase. And let me be painfully clear – you should buy a ticket and attend. Do it. Now.

In my review from last year’s event I offered five lessons that still hold true, some of which have been remedied (such as moving away from Chicago/McCormick this year) and others that are completely in your control (such as acting like a moron after too many cocktails). This year I offer just one pre-conference concept that I hope you take seriously…

Make It Personal – I want you to study the program, look up the speakers you admire, connect with them on social media, read their pieces (whether blogs, articles or research) and get to know them in detail. Then, when you attend their sessions, I want to see you waiting to greet them with a business card in hand and a smile. I also want you to find out which of your peers are attending and make plans – now! – to grab a coffee, a meal, or a drink and compare notes, experiences and lessons. I also want you to consider getting more involved by participating in new and innovative HR Tech experiences such as HRevolution or the Candidate Experience Awards.

And if possible, I want you to find me and say hello. I cannot go through another event where I see smart and engaging people sequestered in a corner huddled over their smartphones for protection while so much opportunity abounds. Even if it’s a quick hug, handshake or discussion, use me as the one person you can count on to connect with you personally. Moreover, I’ll try my best to introduce you to others and help make this an experience you never forget.

Please do join me in early October. And if you’re still looking for some sort of discount code, you can enter anyone’s you find or use “INFLEXION11″ (all caps) to get $500 off the rack rate. I’ve been told this expires on September 19th so get to it. And please know that I get nothing in return for you buying a ticket or attending. That is, other than the chance to see your smiling faces and build a lasting relationship, and how do you put a price on that?

All my best from France and thanks for all of your kind notes and well wishes. We’re having a wonderful time and I’ll look forward to reconnecting upon my return.

All my best,

Mark

We shared how chaotic 2011 had been for both of us and our disbelief that it’s only June. For him the year had already brought two reorganizations, a divestiture, two new health plans, board sessions on health care reform, second phase deployment of a new HRMS system, expansion into the three new countries and an HR budget and staffing cut. In return I shared my dozens of HR industry briefings for hedge funds and investment firms, workshops for boards and C-suite executives, a few speaking engagements, service provider strategy discussions and a slew of strategic consulting assignments for multi-national firms.

Continuing our conversation, he discussed how mired and reactive he was feeling and that he didn’t have the time or luxury to pause and ensure he was taking his organization and HR function in the right direction. He was constantly surrounded by people and could rarely find a moment to step away from his team and gain some perspective. I discussed how disconnected and isolated I’ve been feeling, having flown well over 100,000 miles already this year and always popping in and out of such a wide variety of conversations and initiatives. I lamented how I’ve been missing so many of my peers and feel I’ve been neglecting my blog and much of the strong HR, leadership and recruiting relationships I had previously established.

Laughing while clinking our plastic cups together in a cheer of mutual respect and sympathy, he held up his book and said, “You’ve basically been orbiting the HR hairball.“

What is the “hairball”?

In his 1997 interview with Fast Company, MacKenzie described the hairball as:

“… an entangled pattern of behavior. It’s bureaucracy, which doesn’t allow much space for original thinking and creativity. It’s the corporate tendency to rely on past policies, decisions, and processes as a formula for future success. All of this creates a Gordian knot of corporate normalcy — an entanglement that grows over time. As its mass increases, so does its gravitational pull. And what does gravity do? It drags things down. But hairballs can be effective. They provide a necessary stability. It’s not the job of the hairball to be vibrant, alive, and creative.”

So what’s the role of the “orbiter”?

“Orbiting is vibrancy. Orbiting is manifesting your originality. It’s pushing the boundaries of ingrained corporate patterns. It’s striking a relationship with the corporation so that you can benefit from what it offers — its physical, intellectual, and philosophical resources — without being sucked in by its gravitational pull. It’s a symbiotic relationship: without the hairball, the orbiter would spiral into space; without the orbiter’s creativity and originality, the hairball would be a mass of nothing.”

How do you become an “orbiter”?

“By knowing yourself. I know that’s not the answer people want to hear — because that’s not easy to do. But that is the answer… You have to find your creative genius in such a way that you still have a relationship with concrete, established norms but are not bound by them.”

My new friend returned to his book and would occasionally point to a paragraph, elbow me and say, “Seriously though, this guy has HR nailed.” As our flight prepared to land I turned to reassure him that things would likely get easier for both of us come the summer months. I suggested he start reading some of the great articles and posts that many of you author. I turned him onto some of the industry radio programming and unconferences that have emerged over the past few years.

And finally, I suggested he – hell, all of us – trying focusing less on specific outcomes and instead embrace a few words of wisdom from MacKenzie:

“It’s hard for corporations to understand that creativity is not just about succeeding. It’s about experimenting and discovering.”

His blindness to my gray hair aside, our conversation led to four reasons why he speaks the truth:

1. We’re Creatures of Habit – Tomorrow morning I want you to try a little experiment. When you step into the shower, try mixing up the order of your washing routine. Chances are you’ll fumble around and end up forgetting to rinse some nook or completely miss a particularly filthy cranny. And when you realize how futile (and unsanitary) this change can be, chances are you’ll go back to your old comfortable habits the next day. For it to stick, change requires persistent awareness and diligence.

2. We’re Stuck In The Past – Change carries the implication that the current state is no longer relevant. If you happen to personally be the catalyst for change, this requires the presence of mind to accept that what came before was flawed and no longer tenable. In the more likely scenario of change being thrust upon you, others are stating that the old way is either materially flawed or could be a hell of a lot better. Although it sounds like mumbo-jumbo bullshit, the reality is that change is a constant process, so whatever you love about the past will likely be dead and gone tomorrow.

3. We’re Part Of The Problem – You know that irritating adage that says, “You’re either part of the solution or part of the problem“? The pressure to come up with great ideas and solve world hunger while stopping smoking and losing twenty pounds can be a bit much at times. And then some jackass consultant/coach/advisor says, “Hey, all you need to do is [insert platitude] and you’ll be all set.” The truth of the matter is that sustainable change either happens from within or doesn’t happen at all.

4. Our Perspective Sucks – Remember borrowing a friends glasses for the first time and feeling like the world suddenly morphed into a funky, twisted mess? Chances are you immediately removed them and said something like, “Man, that gave me a headache. How do you wear those all day?” Your friend probably harrumphed, ripped them from your claw and wasn’t too pleased. When you look at a problem you might see nothing more than a funky, twisted mess, so find someone who can see the destination clearly because true change requires a completely new perspective.

Back to my friend the flying disaster of an executive. After two hours of conversation (and his third drink), I finally suggested that he quit his firm and move on. He patted my hand and said, “Friend, you are a wise sage” and then fell asleep. I’ve been watching the company for an announcement of his departure but unfortunately he is still there, cracking his head against the wall and likely telling strangers about the end of days. He probably hasn’t left yet because – let’s face it – change is so damn hard.

Will I fit in?

Some of us may have paused, eyebrows raised in concern and hesitation, looking back over our shoulders toward an equally reluctant parent, seeking that final little push that says:

Go on. It’s going to be okay.

And for most of us, it is just that – okay. Between victories and failures, years pass and we may still hear that quiet voice whispering its questions from a place we try not to visit. On some conscious level we wish we didn’t care so much about acceptance, about fitting in. Our hope is that individuality is rewarded and others see us for who we really are, not some cookie cutter projection of a certain sex, shape or complexion. And to stand out in some unique or distinguishing way we rebel against the so-called norm because it feels good – hell, it feels great! – and it works, albeit for a little while. But the paradox is always present… we want to be treated the same yet we often yearn to be different.

Eventually we find ourselves at the doorstep of our careers, assessing and being assessed, attempting to apply what little information we can gleam to determine if this organization is the place we belong. If these are the people we want to surround ourselves with. If this is the best use of our education, our skills, our energy and our time. And if we want to earn the trust and confidence of those in power, we desperately want to fit in and meet all their spoken and unspoken expectations.

It’s only later that we might realize that fitting in may be more than we had bargained for. And then the tradeoffs and rationalizations begin.

So what choices do you have as you balance earning a living against your desire to be you – the real you – in a work environment that both rewards and expects unquestioning conformity? For many, a double life is a real and pragmatic approach, the “work you” showing up when you’re expected to show up, expressing the right emotions for each situation you face and participating in a process that you truly believe (hope?) was borne less of design and more of necessity. But outside of the office? You’re the genuine article, the one who has untapped talents, passions and possibilities, the one who wishes there was some way of earning a paycheck for what truly sustains you.

But a double life can be exhausting. Employers are creeping more and more into your personal life, tethering you to always-on devices whose Pavlovian beeps and buzzes immediately return us to the trancelike state of work. The work you. The fitting in you. The one that earns the paycheck that provides food, and childcare, and vacations and a million other ways of incentivizing conformity. And we do it because everyone does it, and to not do it is irresponsible, childish and self-destructive. So we are told.

So you suppress the real you, push it down somewhere deep and tell it to stop bothering you with its ridiculous hopes and dreams. And one day, you forget the difference between the two “you”s, that this other you even existed.

I’ve spent my entire career watching the bright light of ideation, creativity and individuality be largely snuffed out by the machinery of the organizations we tirelessly serve. Instead of handing out performance reviews rewarding you for doing exactly what you were hired to do, let’s pass out two matches – one to burn the handbook that tells us that what’s expected is to be applauded and a second to spark true and sustainable change.

Take my hand as we walk into strange and unfamiliar surroundings of rewarding and promoting individuality in the workplace. And when your organizations pause, eyebrows raised in concern and hesitation, looking back over their shoulders with reticence, seeking that final little push, we can say:

Go on. It’s going to be okay.

Congratulations – you’re about to ruin someone’s life:

1. Rainbows And Unicorns – Competition for truly talented individuals can still be quite fierce, so maybe you painted just a smidge of an aspirational picture of the company. The backstabbing, self-promoting, fiercely protectionist, meat grinder of an organization you call home might have been presented as a collaborative, high energy, entrepreneurial, work/life balanced utopia. Hey, you just needed to get her in the door, right?
2. Welcome Aboard! – Because you have a busy schedule you neglected to tell your promising upstart about the back-asswards way she’ll be spending her first week on the job. Onboarding is a real pain and you neglected to order her computer, aren’t quite sure where she is going to sit, don’t know when she’ll get badged and are completely unprepared for her arrival. You’re largely indifferent toward her plight since “it’s just the way things are around here“.
3. The Real Job – Once she’s finally settled in you get a chance to update her on a “slight change of plans“. The good news is that she’s going to “be able to develop some new skills as a result of a sudden shift in responsibility”. So, she should really get cracking because you need her to be up to speed on her new areas of responsibility in a few days. Everybody knows job descriptions “are just guidelines” and she should understand that in today’s fast moving market (emphasizing “fast moving” with rapid finger snaps) she really needs to be flexible if she’s going to succeed.
4. A Self-Starter – Let’s face it, there’s a lot going on in the organization right now and you simply don’t have the time or inclination to hold someone’s hand. You hired her because she seemed to know how to take initiative so she should be able to navigate the halls of the company and figure out who knows what. And if she has questions, check with your administrative assistant since he really “keeps the lights on around here”. She shouldn’t worry – trial by fire is healthy.
5. Mirroring – Your managerial style involves team conference calls at 7:00 AM, working though lunch, ordering in dinner and keeping your employees always accessible in your personal corporate catch-and-release program. This is what led to your success in this firm so there’s no question that weekend assignments, off hour discussions or cancelled vacations are the norm. If you can do it so can she, so she better learn your habits and clear her calendar.
6. Miss Manners – What’s with these employees who need constant reinforcement? Thank you comes in the form of a paycheck, so she shouldn’t expect to earn praise or kindness until she shows you something unexpected. She’ll know if you don’t approve of her work and should spend less time seeking feedback and more time focused on her job. And yes, there’s always something better that could have been done.

Wow, it feels good to get all of that off your chest, doesn’t it? Okay, okay… so maybe you have a problem with turnover and your reputation isn’t stellar (per that moronic 360 degree whatchamacallit) but you’re a very busy manager and you get it done. And as for this newbie? Everyone needs to stop sweating it – she’ll be just fine.