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OC TOBER 2 0 1 8 #DramaFreeHR News
LEADERSHIP C omes D own to U nderstanding H ow O thers C ommunicate
FROM THE DESK OF Karen
We’ve moved! Yep, HR Resolutions has truly become virtual. Melissa packed up her desk and took it home. Barry packed up his desk and took it home. I took Trish’s desk and took it home. (Mine was too big for a home office.) We’ve moved up to VOIP and e-faxing —wow! You know, it’s kind of funny — I started the business 14 years ago (October 2004 was the first month of my attempt at networking). The business started in my home and now I’ve returned to a home office. What a difference though —multiple phones, national clients, six file cabinets (whoever heard of the Paperwork Reduction Act combined with an HR department?)
With the rapid rise in leadership training and development of best practices, the opportunity to learn effective leadership skills is at the fingertips of anyone who wants it. Books, podcasts, and training seminars are just a few of the training mediums used, but even with the considerable amount of information available, leaders everywhere continually fall short in one significant aspect: Leading others is not about fitting your team members into your management style; it’s about you fitting into theirs. There’s a common belief that to be a great leader in business you need to have a plethora of skills and an even more substantial breadth of knowledge. But this rationale couldn’t be further from the truth. Leadership isn’t about knowing every detail about your industry, and it certainly isn’t about being the best at your job. To be an effective leader, you need to help others achieve their goals. Leading in a style that meets the needs of your team doesn’t come naturally to most people, and that’s why a great leader is so valuable. They are capable of adapting to meet the needs of those they lead. It’s a multifaceted objective that requires a lot of emotional intelligence and a willingness to collaborate. While there are many strategies to help leaders understand how to lead others properly, communication is the most important part. In many instances, someone is placed in a leadership role because they have a distinct personality and skill set. Those who climb the ladder are often strong-willed and communicate in a particular way. The biggest mistake leaders make is trying to communicate in a way the people they are leading don’t fully understand. To provide an example, let’s use the fictional people Natalie and Larry. Natalie is in a leadership role at her company where she manages a small team of people. Larry works under Natalie and communicates with her on a daily basis. Natalie is a nose-to-the-
Please make note of our new mailing address:
4075 Linglestown Rd., PMB 256 Harrisburg, PA 17112.
(I tried to get my old PMB number but, alas, someone else has it now!)
Don’t ever be afraid of change. It’s been a daunting two months while we emptied out the office, moved, and went to settlement on our building. Yet we still kept taking care of our clients and meeting new clients.
Change is good AND refreshing!
- Karen Young
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The onus for this communication adaptation is strictly on the leader. It’s not Larry’s responsibility to adjust his communication style to meet the needs of Natalie. This doesn’t mean that there should be an expectation for Larry to communicate however he wants, but leaders are in their roles because they are trying to help others achieve their goals. If Larry is shutting down because Natalie can’t understand how to communicate with him, then he’ll never grow or find the success he desires. you need to change who you are for every person you work with. In actuality, nothing will confuse your team more than wondering which personality their leader will adopt. You need to be your authentic self but develop the skills to achieve effective communication for your teams. By finding a common point of connection and learning to be more multifaceted in your communication skills, you’ll find greater success in leadership. From there, it’s all about how you deal with success and how you give praise. The most common misconception about this idea is that to lead in the style of others means
grindstone person who values a good work ethic and is very task-oriented. Much of her leadership training has been centered around understanding the emotional complexities of others, and she’s been making significant progress. Larry is a creative person with an innate ability to connect with others and produce quality work. His weakness is meeting deadlines, and his training is also progressing. For Natalie to effectively communicate with Larry, she has to understand how he will be most receptive to feedback. Natalie’s natural communication style is straightforward. She doesn’t beat around the bush, but jumps right in with specific comments based on what she sees. Larry does not respond well to this style of communication. He needs to be understood, know that he’s valued, and encouraged on how he can do better. Without Natalie adapting her communication style to meet Larry’s needs, she will never get through to him. Even worse, if Natalie gives critical feedback to Larry, there’s a potential he will shut down, and his morale will take a nosedive.
Going Beyond ‘GetWell Soon’ 3 Meaningful Ways to Support Recovery
SUPPORT THEIR EMOTIONAL RECOVERY.
People faced with injuries, disabilities, and illnesses can feel emotionally isolated from their friends and loved ones. They may feel that others won’t understand their pain or that they should put on a brave face and not complain. You can’t force your friend to talk about their issues, but simply being there to listen to what your friend is going through makes a world of difference. Having someone who is willing to listen without judgment can provide a salve for emotional hardship.
If you’ve ever had a friend or loved one suffer a debilitating injury, you know how powerless you can feel to help. You want to make a difference, but in the face of severe medical challenges, it can be hard to know how. It’s important to remember that, while you may not be able to have a direct impact on your loved one’s physical recovery, there are concrete actions you can take to support them in ways doctors can’t.
SUPPORT THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE.
SUPPORT THEIR RIGHTS.
Traumatic injuries can make many aspects of day-to-day life difficult or impossible. Simply making dinner or taking their kids to school may now be herculean tasks for your loved one. Offering to be a volunteer driver or preparing a home-cooked meal can give that person a much-needed breather. Taking the time to help your friend with everyday tasks is more than just a practical gesture — it lets them know they don’t have to bear the burden of their injury alone.
Sometimes an injury can leave your loved one tangled up in disputes with opportunistic insurance companies or individuals they feel are responsible for their injuries. While you may not be able to represent your friend’s legal interests in these situations, you can introduce them to someone who can. Referring your friend to a personal injury firm you trust can help them chart a path toward just compensation for their injuries.
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Marketing Horror Stories A Lesson in What Not to Do
• Back when “Oprah”was the biggest show on television, KFC ran an ad offering a free two-piece chicken meal with two sides and a biscuit for anyone who went to their website and downloaded a coupon. Over 10.5 million coupons were downloaded, and KFC had to give away $42 million in free food. • In the 1990s, Hoover Company in the United Kingdom offered two round-trip plane tickets with the purchase of a vacuum. Unfortunately, even in the ‘90s, most vacuums were still cheaper than plane tickets, and Hoover lost 50 million pounds in what remains the biggest promotional disaster ever. CARTOON NETWORK CAUSES A BOMB SCARE Guerrilla marketing can create valuable word of mouth — think about the success of the movie “IT” last year. The marketing for the film included simple red balloons tied to storm drains. But Cartoon Network didn’t have quite the same luck in 2007 when they tried to promote their show“Aqua Teen Hunger Force.”When the network put electronic devices featuring a character from the show all over Boston, city residents thought the strange contraptions looked like bombs and called the police. This triggered a terrorist scare that ultimately cost the general manager of Cartoon Network his job.
Every marketing professional wants their campaign to be memorable. They want consumers to take notice — or take the bait — and make their company a big profit. But sometimes, things don’t go exactly as planned. The campaigns below certainly won the attention of consumers, but in each case, what started out as a marketing dream quickly turned into a nightmare. FIAT’S DIRECT MAIL DISASTER In 1992, women across Spain received anonymous letters inviting them to go on a “little adventure.”The letters stated, “We met again on the street yesterday, and I noticed how you glanced interestedly in my direction.” Fearing a stalker, many women locked themselves in their homes. A few days later, another letter arrived, revealing the identity of the “secret admirer” as the new Fiat Cinquecento. Yes, the creepy letters were part of a marketing campaign by the Italian car company. Fiat
apologized and ended the campaign after criticism from consumer protection groups, Social Minister Cristina Alberdi, and the 50,000 women who received the letters. KFC AND HOOVER CAN’T DO MATH A shocking number of companies hold giveaway promotions without calculating exactly how much they will cost. Here are a few examples.
Take a Break!
Homemade
MARSHMALLOWS
Ingredients
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1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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3 packages unflavored gelatin
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1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
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1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
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1 cup light corn syrup
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Powdered sugar, to coat
Directions
into gelatin mixture. Switch speed to high and whip for 15 minutes, until very thick. Fold in vanilla after whipping. 5. Dust a nonmetal baking dish with powdered sugar and spoon mixture into dish. Smooth mixture, top with more powdered sugar, and let stand uncovered overnight. 6. Cut into squares, decorate, and serve.
1. In a mixing bowl, combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water. Let sit while you make the syrup. 2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water until the sugar dissolves. 3. Raise heat to high and bring syrup up to 240 F, using a candy thermometer to check for temperature. 4. With an electric whisk on low speed, slowly whisk syrup
Inspired by foodnetwork.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Karen PAGE 1 Communication in Leadership PAGE 1 Ways to Support a Recovering Loved One PAGE 2 Would You SurviveThese Marketing Nightmares? PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Homemade Marshmallows PAGE 3 The Surprising Origins of Trick-or-Treating PAGE 4
WHY THERE ARE KIDS ON YOUR PORCH ASKING FOR CANDY
The History of Trick-or-Treating
started tearing through town begging for food and money and singing a song or prayer in return— a practice called“souling.” But when did they start dressing up as Minions? Starting in the 19th century, souling turned to “guising,”which gave way to trick-or- treating in mid-20th-century America, and the costumes diversified. So put on some clown makeup and a big smile,
Samhain, a new year’s party thrown at the end of our summer; and the Catholic All Saint’s Day, designed to replace Samuin and divorce it from its pagan origins. Long before there were young’uns on your porch dressed as Thanos with candy-filled pillowcases in hand, the Celts believed that Samuin marked an overlapping of the realms of the living and the dead. To trick the spirits leaking into our world, young men donned flowing white costumes and black masks — a great disguise when ghosts were about. The Catholic Church was never a big fan of these pagan traditions, so they renamed it“All Saints’Day”and gussied it up in religious garb. By the 11th century, people were dressing up as saints, angels, and the occasional demon instead of spirits. Eventually, costumed children
As Halloween looms and you load up your grocery cart with candy, you may ask
yourself, “Why do I provide these spooky gremlins with a sugar high every Oct. 31, anyway?”Well, when your doorbell starts ringing around 6 p.m. this All Hallows’ Eve, you can thank the Celts for this tradition of candy and costumes.
scoop up a handful of sweets, and scare the
Halloween itself is a kind of
mishmash of four different cultural festivals of old: two Roman fêtes, which commemorated the dead and the goddess of fruit
living daylights out of ‘em— ‘tis the season!
and trees (not at the same time); the Celtic Samuin or
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