behaviours - Blogs - DPG Community
2024-03-28T17:23:49Z
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/feed/tag/behaviours
How can you deal with office monsters?
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/how-can-you-deal-with-office-monsters
2016-10-28T11:07:40.000Z
2016-10-28T11:07:40.000Z
Mike Collins
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins
<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2217081?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>With Halloween only a few days away we thought we'd look for a resource to help you deal with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVLBVwlO81c" target="_blank">spooky bosses</a> and <a href="https://bluffers.com/ten-office-monsters/" target="_blank">office monsters</a>.</p>
<p>These frightening characters are present in many organisations and can materialise faster and stick around for longer than any ghoul or ghost, but how do we deal with these office monsters?</p>
<p>The below video focuses on the behaviours involved and characteristics of the following 'monsters' that can be a real horror story and make working life a misery for others.</p>
<p>- the shouters</p>
<p>- hyercompetitives</p>
<p>- the fraudsters</p>
<p>- the stealers</p>
<p>- the super aggressives</p>
<p>- the knit-pickers</p>
<p>- the blamers</p>
<p>The list goes on - these difficult monsters are present in many organisations and have a real impact on how we behave in our jobs. As HR professionals we need to ensure these behaviours are dealt with in line with the organisations values that support the right behaviours not the negative ones that can be so disruptive. It's hard sometimes to address these behaviours but the video does give some insight and tips on dealing with these 'monsters' with some practical tips. </p>
<p>Have you ever come across the 'office monster' or a 'spooky boss'? We'd love to hear your thoughts on how to deal with them or if you agree with tips in the video - let us know in comments below </p>
<div class="SP_Video_Container"><iframe width="479" height="511" style="border: 1px solid #CCC; border-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/aVLBVwlO81c" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>
<p></p>
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10 tips to building organisational trust
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/10-tips-to-building-organisational-trust
2016-03-24T09:42:45.000Z
2016-03-24T09:42:45.000Z
Mike Collins
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins
<div><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2216821?profile=RESIZE_400x&width=400"></div><div><p>Trust is one of the cornerstones of a good employer-employee relationship. Employees need to have trust in their colleagues, their line managers, in HR, in senior management and in the organisation as a whole. Most important in that mix is being able to trust colleagues and line managers.</p>
<p>However, as we all know, trust generally has been significantly eroded the past few years – the financial crisis, corporate scandals, public sector scandals, MPs expenses…..All of this has combined to damage trust in institutions and in particular, those at the top in institutions. So much so that in 2012, the CIPD produced a report called ‘Where has all the trust gone?’ This report talked about how low trust has a negative impact on employee engagement, motivation, performance and productivity, not to mention internal and external reputation.</p>
<p>Not surprisingly, high levels of trust have a positive impact on all of the above. The organisation, Great Place to Work, has a Trust Index<b>©</b> and its research shows that the average Trust Index<b>©</b> for the UK’s Best Workplaces is 86%, compared to a UK average of 55%. High trust organisations tend to be high performing organisations, with the UK’s Best Workplaces outperforming their peers.</p>
<p>What that in mind, we have come up with some top tips to ensure your workforce has high levels of trust. These are tips for you as HR professionals, but they are also tips about how managers, senior managers and the board should behave.</p>
<p>1. <strong>Earn the trust of the workforce.</strong> Behave with integrity. Be ethical and trustworthy in all your dealings, operations and communications.</p>
<p>2. <strong>Display the right behaviours.</strong> Model the behaviour you want employees to believe in and display themselves. It’s called walking the walk.</p>
<p>3. <strong>Reward the right behaviours</strong>. Give praise and recognition where it is due and promote those who display the right behaviours.</p>
<p>4. <strong>Tackle difficult situations and the wrong behaviours.</strong> Don’t let negative situations go unchecked or they will fester, spread and quickly lead to even bigger problems. Employees notice when the wrong behaviours are allowed or worse still, encouraged and they will either become disaffected or follow suit.</p>
<p>5. <strong>Be open, transparent and honest in all your communications.</strong> If there is any negative news about the organisation, make sure you tell the workforce first, rather than them hearing about it second hand. People lose trust very quickly if they think their employer or line manager hasn’t been honest with them or has kept them in the dark about a situation.</p>
<p>6. <strong>Develop management capabilities</strong>. Trust between individuals and their line manager is so important so make sure line managers and senior managers have the right management capabilities and competencies. Keep developing them and work on those interpersonal skills.</p>
<p>7. <strong>Be fair.</strong> Always be fair in your decisions and dealings.</p>
<p>8. <strong>Give people autonomy.</strong> Trust breeds trust.</p>
<p>9. <strong>Maintain confidentiality.</strong> Failure to maintain confidentiality is a big erosion of trust and is highly unprofessional. It should never happen.</p>
<p>10. <strong>Listen.</strong> This is something that is easily overlooked but is very important. Listening to people, listening well and with respect, engenders trust and good relationships.</p>
<p><em>So there are our 10 tips to building organisational trust. We've love to hear your thoughts in the comments below</em></p>
<p><strong><em>Do agree with the list?</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Are there any other tips you can give to help build trust?</em></strong></p>
<p></p>
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Rebel with a cause
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/rebel-with-a-cause
2013-04-21T11:30:00.000Z
2013-04-21T11:30:00.000Z
Mike Collins
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins
<div><p>Another new experience under the belt. This time a short talk at the PPMA conference (not the Processing and Packaging Machinery Association) rather the <a href="http://www.ppma.org.uk/">Public Sector People Manager’s conference</a> – you can check the #ppmahr13 hashtag for tweets from the day.</p>
<p>This is a quick summary of my session and I want to thank <a href="https://twitter.com/perrytimms" target="_blank">Perry Timms</a> for getting me involved and <a href="https://twitter.com/academyofrock" target="_blank">Peter Cook</a> for delivering an inspiring session that I was able to play a part in. Although how you follow someone who plays a guitar round the back of his head beats me.</p>
<p>So what was it about? Well it was primarily about <a href="http://itsdevelopmental.com/2013/what-is-punk-rock-hr/" target="_blank">Punk HR</a> as Martin Couzins (aka <a href="https://twitter.com/learnpatch" target="_blank">LearnPatch</a>) caught up with Peter to find out a little more.</p>
<p>I’ll be up front and say my knowledge of punk is limited, those who read my <a href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/2013/03/alter-egos/" target="_blank">recent post</a> will know I’m all about the beats but this doesn’t stop me getting involved in some of the things that punk stood for. My session was short maybe 10 mins so I had to keep it brief and to the point but make people think differently about social tools and I named my session a rather dramatic “The Social Revolution”.</p>
<ul>
<li>I opened my session asking those in the room if they considered themselves to be in a senior manager role, approx 80% of the room put their hand up.</li>
<li>I then asked for those same people to put their hand up if they had an active Twitter account, approx 5% of those kept their hand up – ouch!</li>
<li>My last question was based around how many people in the room were already using social tools in their organisations, may be 10% of the room put their hand up.</li>
</ul>
<p>So lots of senior managers, very few of them using Twitter (appreciate this is not a definitive method of gauging knowledge / attitude toward social) but indicates they are not active social media users and only 10% of those in the room are using social in their organisations. This was going to be interesting.</p>
<p>I will start my saying one thing (I wish I had said this and been more challenging), if you do not use social media yourself then you will not understand it. If you do not understand it then how can you see the value social tools can provide and lead change and role model this change. You can’t! Senior HR managers, in fact any HR managers…. in fact anyone in HR right now beware……ignoring it and thinking you don’t need to bother or saying things like “I don’t get all this social stuff”, “I don’t need to get it”, “that’s for other people not me” will not wash any longer. If you persist with this attitude your days are numbered as change is happening, you can either get involved, support and lead this change OR you can get out of the way. It isn’t about ‘social media’ as many might think of it but solving real business problems with a new and exciting tool set.</p>
<p>Why do I have this view? In my humble opinion it’s fundamentally about changing our approach to the way we do things, it’s more than thinking differently it’s doing things differently, it’s about bringing different behaviours and a different attitude to how we operate in the workplace alive through ACTION. An open approach to leadership and an attitude that isn’t preoccupied by title or seniority but focuses on getting things done in a different, more open and authentic way. The behaviours of great leaders haven’t really changed but the way and means we can bring these behaviours to life have changed. The focus is not on social technology but what these tools enable us to do and the value they can create when used correctly and productively. How can this happen when the tools aren’t understood?</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357206?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357206?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></a>I opened my session proper with a quick reference to the punk attitude. Even though I wasn’t part of the punk movement I understand it was about making change and a gathering of people who believed in the same thing. People who through music found a way to come together and share what they are interesting in and what they were passionate about to make lasting change themselves.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357225?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357225?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></a></p>
<p>I then spoke about 5 areas in brief and have summarised them below:</p>
<p><strong>Choice</strong> – using social tools you have a choice to contribute and be part of the open conversation. You can choose to engineer conversations and bring others in to the conversation. You can choose to encourage others and help people and provide information and you can choose what message you share and what form this message comes in. Alternatively you can choose to do nothing.</p>
<p><strong>Attitude</strong> – who are the people you like working with? What are the things you hire people for? We need more positive deviants and those not afraid to disrupt the status quo. We need people in your organisations – not sorry YOU must have an attitude that says I will do things differently. I want to see attitudes that inspire and motivate – to lead and share not hoard. Engage and nurture NOT command & Control.</p>
<p><strong>Curiosity</strong> – I’m curious, what happens if, what happens when, ask questions – challenge what has gone before – more importantly what happens when you give people a voice and the opportunity to get involved? Does this scare you or does it excite you?</p>
<p><strong>Rebel with a cause</strong> – if you always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you’ve always got. It’s time to challenge the ways in which HR communicate and work with the people we are here to help and serve. That doesn’t mean anarchy and anti-establishment but it does mean empowering others to reach their potential and a shift in the way people use open forms of communication and work together. Which leads to….</p>
<p><strong>Collaboration</strong> – This is where the revolution is…connecting your workforce, bringing people together to work and achieve their goals in an open way that over time with YOUR support and influence will change our workplace culture for the better. You need to be leading this change and role modelling how these tools can be used for the greater good not looking at social tools as a negative thing that will bring about tension and unproductive staff. This is a change we can and must influence and drive to enable the people we work with to be more effective in their jobs and to work together more openly.</p>
<p>I summed up with a music analogy as this was the order of the day. I believe HR need to be leading this social revolution and <b>making the music</b> not listening to it from the side lines or worse still turning the music off because it’s too loud or different to what you’re used to.</p>
<p><strong>The revolution is happening………will you be dancing to the beat or sat round the dance floor?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Are you involved in bringing this change to your workplace? Are you a rebel with a cause?</strong></p></div>
People Power
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/people-power
2013-04-09T08:00:00.000Z
2013-04-09T08:00:00.000Z
Visda Scott
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/VisdaScott
<div><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357238?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357238?profile=original" class="align-left" height="107" width="137"></a>In my first post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/profiles/blogs/on-the-road-to-becoming-a-google-guru" target="_self">"On the road to becoming a Google Guru"</a> I described the journey I’d been on that led me to become a Google Technology Advocate. I also detailed experiences from my previous role that allowed me to ‘see the light’ in terms of working smarter and more collaboratively. Every day continues to be an exciting adventure where I can find another gadget, application or piece of information that helps me transform and evolve the way I work with my colleagues.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 13px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">After the initial implementation and getting the technology in and working, we are now planning the second stage of the project and taking the applications into new areas of the business. The big question we are asking now is ‘How can we demonstrate value and positively change the way our employees work?’</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">A key part of my role and something that is much more important than I had previously expected is managing key stakeholders and their expectations. Perhaps ‘manage’ is the wrong word as I reflect on a recent encounter with one of these stakeholders. I was passed by an important and influential PA (a KEY stakeholder!) only last week and seized the opportunity to start a conversation with every intention of sharing the new found love I have for Google. Instead of hearing a similar opinion and excitement about using the tools, instead I found myself on the receiving end of a rather negative appraisal that went something like ‘we aren’t getting that, I’ve heard its X@&*!’</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357258?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357258?profile=original" class="align-right" width="224"></a>Oh no! This is not what I wanted to hear! I was on the back foot a little but knew I needed to respond (and not react) as my <br> heart was sinking that a key stakeholder was saying such negative things about the very tools I was championing. So calmly I asked why this was the case to find out the reasons behind this apparent smear campaign. It soon became apparent that there had been some negative feedback passed around by someone who shall remain nameless but needless to say had sufficient seniority to be listened to. The nameless one had been a reluctant early adopter who in hindsight had not been given enough care (they would feature as a ‘Risk’ on any stakeholder matrix). Simple put the only reason why they felt this way about Google is because their cheese had been moved and they didn’t naturally embrace change. So was I railroaded before I’d started? What could I do? I could sing the praises of Google applications in the vein hope of making them sound great but that didn’t seem enough…… </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">So I asked for 30 minutes of her time to demonstrate the features and benefits of the Google environment.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357284?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357284?profile=original" class="align-left" width="281"></a>As I planned for the session I knew I had to answer the WIIFM question and focus on bringing to life the real value this change would bring. During the session I focused on her role and how the tools would save her time, remove duplication and change the way she would communicate with her colleagues. As the session progressed I could see the body language change and I could hear the tone of the voice soften as they moved from sceptic to advocate. Following a rather excitable invite, another PA joined the demonstration and the whirlwind tour was then accompanied with a chorus of ooo’s and ahh’s. This was better than I expected, they were seeing the potential value and how these tools could be applied to their roles and the improvement they would bring.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">I walked away from the session leaving two Google converts, eager to experience this new way of working. I felt confident that the initial negativity and resistance had been turned around and I had two more Google advocates spreading the love. I also reflected on how little was needed in the first place to harbour a bad impression and how negative reactions and rumours can spread and influence people.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">It reminded me of a quote I heard once and remembered ever since. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><em><strong>‘Technology enables relationships miles apart but only an inch deep’.</strong></em> </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357304?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357304?profile=original" class="align-left" width="225"></a>No matter what I am trying to achieve in advocating and championing new technology the power of the personal touch is key to success or failure. All my enthusiasm is worthless if I don’t involve the very people I’m looking to help and influence their thinking. I’m positive raising awareness and answering the WIIFM for those involved in this brave new way of working will mean they become advocates themselves; after all it’s only through people and not technology that real change will take place.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">And so the journey continues and I’ve already booked my demo session with a certain you know who….</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">When have you ever received negative feedback on something you’re trying to change?</span></em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">How did you address it?</span></em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">What top tips have you got to positively influence the people you work with?</span></em></p></div>
Developing the next generation of social leaders – bridging the skills gap
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/developing-the-next-generation-of-social-leaders-bridging-the
2013-02-01T09:30:00.000Z
2013-02-01T09:30:00.000Z
Richard Pedley
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/RichardPedley
<div><p>On Wednesday I attended Mike Collins’ talk on Social Leaders. This was a really inspiring session so when I returned to work on Thursday I felt it would be useful to share this with my colleagues</p><p>Mike gave a brief overview of how Social tools can help the Leaders of today. (Video below)</p><p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.annotag.tv/learningtechnologies/play/18250" target="_blank">Developing the Next Generation of Social Leaders - Bridging the Gap</a></p><p>It was made immediately clear that business need to examine the way that they view Social Media. Businesses see Social Media within the context of Facebook but don’t often examine options that may be useful to them or even consider providing their own internal tools.</p><p>Social Media is first and foremost about Engagement, about providing an open 2 way communication channel.</p><p>Social tools help staff to become aware of the decisions that are being made and the reasons behind these decisions. It provides transparency to the leadership and gives them an opportunity to become more visible to their staff. It makes the leadership human.</p><p>Social tools also provide an excellent opportunity for collaboration especially when businesses are sometimes fragmented across several sites.</p><p><b>My Thoughts...</b></p><p>Social Tools provides a great opportunity to address a perceived issue of Leadership visibility. I appreciate that there is a reluctance to discuss business issues on external sites as this can be seen by anybody. However I do believe that there is a strong case to use a business specific version of something like Twitter.</p><p>If this was taken up by Senior Leaders and used regularly it will help people to understand where they are and what they are doing. When decisions are made live Q&A sessions could be held using social tools so that staff understand the decisions that have been made and become engaged with them. These tools could also be used when running large events or department meetings. It may also be appropriate for some “tweets” to be made from Senior Leadership meetings (although I appreciate that there is a lot that could not be shared).</p><p>All of this will open a whole new line of communication for staff and I believe increase the number of “Great Ideas” that are produced.</p><p>There is also a great opportunity that this can be used to gain instant feedback on an idea or on a question that somebody in the business may have. Projects may be able to use this kind of tool to discuss ideas or bring SME’s in to get extra opinions on a subject.</p><p>There are also great opportunities for this to be used within Learning by posing questions via Social tools to evaluate understanding.</p><p><b>My Question for you.......</b></p><p>The big question for me is how do you convince a business that they should expend money on a Twitter esc internal communications system?</p></div>
Using Social Tools to Support Professional Development
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/using-social-tools-to-support-professional-development
2012-12-12T11:00:00.000Z
2012-12-12T11:00:00.000Z
Mike Collins
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins
<div><p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357158?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357158?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="100"></a>I was lucky enough to speak at the recent <a href="http://www.trainingjournal.com/event/marketplace-events-winter-conference-2012-using-social-media-in-learning/" target="_blank">Training Journal Winter Conference on using Social Media in Learning</a>, it was a great event. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the presentations from each of the speakers and chatting with fellow attendees on a subject that is very close to my heart.</p>
<p>My slot focused on how using social tools have support by own career progression and professional development and it was interesting reflecting on the last 6 years since I joined L&D and how social tools have played a part.</p>
<p>From a personal perspective social tools have allowed me to connect with other like-minded professionals and thought leaders and to access a huge amount of information that I would not have known existed otherwise. I believe my development has been fast tracked through using these tools and building relationships as part of my personal learning network. It hasn't been about the tools it's been about the people that I've connected with through the tools. Technology is merely the enabler.</p>
<p>From a career perspective social tools have provided opportunities for me to be brave and try new things, they have allowed me to challenge tradition and to bring networks and social tools in to the workplace that evolve the methods of communication and the way information can flow through an organisation. Social tools aren't a fad or a time waster they bring genuine and tangible business benefits that can be harnessed and directed by both L&D and HR. In fact I believe that L&D and HR MUST understand the value that social can bring to an organisation and the impact it can have on (to name a few) leadership, communication, engagement, recruitment, learning, performance management and CULTURE.</p>
<p>The world has changed, sounds a cliche but it has. The ways and means in which people can share, connect and access information has evolved, why won't this change the way in which we work?</p>
<p>It will.....the rate of this change in your business is likely down to you, so it is time to start thinking in new ways about professional development and what is (and who is) available to support this development. The need to understand the business benefits and the value that these tools can provide is no longer an option it is a necessity. Saying I'm not in to technology or I don't have time or that it is something that kids do is not a valid reason, it's an excuse.</p>
<p>This is why I'm excited about the DPG Community as it can really support people on this journey and demonstrate the value of using social tools and networks. Next year we will be focusing on running some webinars on using social tools to support your professional development so watch this space.</p>
<p>Here is my presentation that I used, it's a bit different but tells a great story - what's going to happen next? Who knows that's the exciting thing:</p>
<p><a href="http://prezi.com/pcrmorfpsq3s/social-media-to-support-professional-development/?kw=view-pcrmorfpsq3s&rc=ref-11823700" target="_blank">Using Social Tools to Support Professional Development</a></p>
<p>If you have any questions about the conference or any of the things I mention in this blog then I'd love to hear them.</p>
<p>Some questions for you to ponder over if I may....</p>
<p><em>What social tools are you currently using to support your professional development?</em></p>
<p><em>What does your online identity say about you?</em></p>
<p><em>Who is having the conversations around social in your organisation?</em></p>
<p><em>What the barriers you see personally or professionally to using social tools?<br></em></p>
<p>Be great to hear from you</p></div>
You can't force social......or can you?
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/you-can-t-force-social-or-can-you
2012-08-22T13:30:00.000Z
2012-08-22T13:30:00.000Z
Mike Collins
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/MikeCollins
<div><p>The picture below shows my artistic scribblings on a table cloth from the (now not so) recent Connect HR Unconference “<a href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/2012/06/chru4-visual-minutes/">The power of a social engaged organisation</a>“.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Cant-force-social.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://www.learningasylum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Cant-force-social-196x300.jpg?width=259" width="259" /></a>We were asked to write things down for the afternoon sessions that would give us some meaty topics to discuss.You can see from what I wrote the sort of things that were going through my head at the time. The thing that stands out and what I wrote in bigger writing with a squiggly circle (symbolising importance of course) were the words “<em><strong>You can’t force social”.</strong></em></p>
<p>So a few months on and now in new employment, do I feel the same? Well actually no I don’t. I believe you can force social, in fact you must, otherwise it’s not going to happen and things will not change now or in the future. I know the cliche, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” but who’s leading the horses?</p>
<p>If given a choice, it’s easy to choose not to do anything, it’s easy to leave things the way they are, driving and managing change is difficult in any setting. Making change happen is relatively easy compared to making change stick.</p>
<p>When the change in question is encouraging adoption of social tools however, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this would be easy. After all over 700 million people use Facebook, millions of people use Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn so the knowledge of using these tools and what benefits they bring is out there. People have the capability to use these tools and many do so every day in their personal lives. So why is the shift to using these tools to work, to learn and to share in a professional capacity so difficult?</p>
<p>I wrote about the hardships of encouraging the use of networks in the workplace recently in <a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/profiles/blogs/6489007:BlogPost:827" target="_self">WARNING socialnetWORK AHEAD</a>. The post came about after working on an online team community for over 12 months, I was told at times by my colleagues to stop going on about it and at one point was told quite openly in a meeting to “give it a rest, we get it you don’t to keep going on about it”. Looking back I had enough eye rolling moments and “here we go again's” to last a lifetime but it served as inspiration rather than anything else. This was a team of Learning & Development professionals and it was hard going making breakthroughs but they came at different times through different people. As I left the organisation the same community had grown and matured. It was being used by a much larger number of people and the person who had benefited from it the most and provided the most value was a certain Mr “give it a rest Mike”.</p>
<p>It’s fantastic to see people who were once sceptical really benefit from using social tools to engage with others and to achieve things that they couldn’t have done without them. The light bulb moments rock!</p>
<p>So what prompted the change in this particular person?</p>
<p>This person found the need. The network provided a means to connect and talk to people that were directly involved in their work. It enabled suggestions and feedback to be collated from a large number of people in a very short space of time. Improvements were made in days rather than weeks and people across the team were able to give their ideas and opinions on things that mattered to them. Feedback before had been collated in silos and rarely acted upon. This was different, it was open for all to see and as a result things happened. Social added a layer of accountability and credibility and those who had something to say and could add value started to appear.</p>
<p>I’ve written about the importance of <a href="http://community.dpgplc.co.uk/profiles/blogs/find-the-need-demonstrate-the-value" target="_self">finding the need and demonstrating the value</a> in relation to using something new or different before. This is just as critical when it comes to changing work practices, learning habits and traditional communication channels when using social tools.</p>
<p>You can’t force people to be social but guess what, you don’t need to, people are social by their very nature. It’s what comes with being human so that shouldn’t be our aim or focus, instead our aim and focus should be to create conditions and means for people to connect in the workplace or in communities where a common goal, objective or interest is shared. To show them the possibilities and help people find their own need that in turn provides value for them.</p>
<p>Here is another cliche <em>“You don’t know what you don’t</em> <em>know</em>” and this is why we must force social technologies and practices in the workplace or  to educate and raise awareness where there is currently little or none. I joined the latest @chat2lrn Twitter chat last week entitled <a href="http://chat2lrn.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/what-will-training-departments-be-doing-in-2020/">What Will Training Departments be doing in 2020</a>, I only made the last couple of questions but I recommend you check the <a href="http://chat2lrn.wordpress.com/transcripts-summaries/transcript-2082012-training-departments-in-2020/">transcript</a>.</p>
<p>2020 is only 8 years in the future and think back to 2004 have things really changed that much? I was having a chat with <a href="https://twitter.com/lesleywprice">@lesleywprice</a> of the <a href="http://www.learningandperformanceinstitute.com/">Learning and Performance institute</a> and Lesley mentioned she was using a Virtual Learning Environment in 1998. So whilst somethings have undoubtedly moved on they haven’t moved onto to the point where social is part of what we do. What it is and what is does is still misunderstood, misrepresented and not recognised as the power that it can be.</p>
<p>So what’s the answer?</p>
<p>Be open to change and trying something different. Don’t be afraid to introduce your beliefs that social is good and share your ideas on how the tools can be used to drive value. Engineer those conversations with IT, HR, Operations and people who openly admit “I don’t do technology” or “I don’t get these social tools” even if they are your managers or senior leadership teams. Challenge those who resist and look for opportunities to introduce social technologies to support your current team, your current project, your next learning solution. Be the positive disruptor, role model and lead from the front, even if it means starting small you can demonstrate the benefits and begin to create the sort of cultural shift that WILL make 2020 feel different.</p>
<p>With DPG using a social community to support CIPD programmes it's going to be an interesting journey as people new to Learning & Development and Human Resources will see how social tools can support learning and collaboration and provide a much more open way to communicate and share amongst each other. It's about building confidence and capability in using these tools in a professional context and I for one can't wait to see where the journey takes us.</p>
<p><em>I'd be interested in your social journey so far and understanding is social tools are being used in your organisation?</em></p>
<p><em>How are they being used and what has your experience been like so far?</em></p>
<p>Mike</p>
</div>
Recruitment needs to be less like the X Factor
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/blog/recruitment-needs-to-be-less-like-the-x-factor
2012-03-16T14:30:00.000Z
2012-03-16T14:30:00.000Z
Fiona Chatham
https://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/FionaChatham
<div><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357139?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1357139?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-right"></a>Does recruitment sometimes feel like an episode of the X Factor? Job applicants get a moment to shine with their CV, having to create enough of an impression in that moment that they are then invited to perform in front of a panel of judges. The vast majority of hiring decisions are then made in a relatively short interview process which tries to assess someone’s “talent” for the role on offer.</p>
<p>We all know that you can’t build a great company without great people. The problem is: How do you know who the great people are?</p>
<p>We all know the impact that the wrong people leave behind them – time wasters who seem determined never to meet the deadlines you’ve set, office whisperers who like nothing better than to spread the seeds of discontent and the jobsworths whose job description doesn’t include that task. All of these must have persuaded the recruiter that they were “right for the job” at the time, so just what went wrong?</p>
<p>There are some key reasons why new recruits subsequently fail in the role:</p>
<p>1. Coachability: lacking the ability to accept & implement feedback from others</p>
<p>2. Emotional intelligence: lacking the ability to understand & manage their own emotions or assess others’</p>
<p>3. Motivation: lacking the drive to achieve their full potential</p>
<p>4. Temperament: attitude & personality not suited to the particular job & work environment</p>
<p>5. Technical competence: having the functional skills required to do the job</p>
<p>It is clear from these that having the relevant skills for the job is significantly less important than having the right attitude. It is also clear that it is not just about having the right attitude towards the job, it is as much about having the right attitude towards others and having the emotional maturity to be able to process our performance and make changes if necessary.</p>
<p>After all, what you know can change but who you are doesn’t. Or, in the words of the song, “I am what I am!”</p>
<p>The most common mistake that we make when recruiting is to find someone with the right skills, but with the wrong mindset and then think that we can change them. This is often because we start the recruitment process when it’s already too late, so we hire someone who will do the job right now with minimal training.</p>
<p>Let’s start by remembering that the single best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour so we should provide a recruitment process that identifies what behaviours each candidate brings with them & then compares them with the ones needed for this role. Of course it’s also important to identify when skills or knowledge are essential for the role, but don’t forget these can often be learned in a relatively short timescale.</p>
<p>So, just what should we be looking for? Some good behaviours to look for are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Ability to learn – how quickly do they develop new skills</li>
<li>Ownership – who is responsible for their performance & development</li>
<li>Initiative – what have they done without being told to</li>
<li>Judgement – how do they show good decision making & common sense</li>
<li>Work ethic – when have they gone beyond what was required</li>
<li>Flexibility – how do they adapt to change</li>
<li>Positivity – how do they handle life’s ups & downs</li>
</ul>
<p>The extent to which candidates have these traits can be identified through testing, proper questioning, observation &, most importantly, quality time with them. The more time you invest in making a decision, the more likely you are to ultimately make the right choice.</p>
<p>In today’s environment, it is clear that success in a job depends far more on these behaviours & competencies than it does on experience alone. If you choose the person with the right attitude you can teach & train them the skills they need & you will have made the better choice than the one that hits the ground running in terms of experience but falls at the first hurdle because they lack resilience or flexibility.</p></div>