November 2008 Vol 1, Issue 6     Provided by: HRGroup The workforce catalyst    Performance & Productivity Catalysts Why Read HRTips?   John and I are committed to providing you with practical Human Resources insights because we want your business to flourish as the result of improved productivity and the superior performance of your workforce.  The insights we offer are based on our experience in Human Resources management, but we also research publications on an on-going basis to determine what's innovative and worth your consideration.  For example, this edition's HRTip is excerpted from observations that were published in Harvard Business Review.  I guess you could say that we're looking out for you as regards workforce management.   In this issue of HRTips we address the following:   HRTip "Competent Jerks, Lovable Fools and the Formation of Social Networks"      HRGreen Tip "Green Recruiting: Building Your Environmental Employment Brand"   HRGroup In Action "Case Study: Building High Performance Teams"   Ask the HRPros     Your Opportunity to ask us about HR issues that concern you:   Please forward your issues/questions to us and we will incorporate them into future e-newsletters. Call Ted or John at (480) 753-6188, shoot us an email at info@hrgrouponline.com, or visit www.hrgrouponline.com.          HRGroup Client Quote  "HRGroup is well connected, caring, experienced and knowledgeable.  If you want to work with a group who knows what they're doing...  you want HRGroup!" Human Resources Director    Real Estate Development Company HRTip     "Competent Jerks, Lovable Fools, and                          the Formation of Social Networks"       The Idea: When people need help completing complex projects, they select the colleagues best able to do the job - not just those they like.  Right?...Wrong!  Faced with a choice between a "competent jerk" and a "lovable fool" as a work partner, people usually opt for likability over ability.       This has big implications for your organization.  Good things happen when people who like each other collaborate - projects flow quickly; people gladly help each other.  But there's a cost; people who like each other typically share similar values and ways of thinking - making it difficult to generate fresh ideas.  Moreover, most individuals avoid skilled but unpleasant colleagues - leaving competent jerks' expertise untapped.   Apply this three-pronged strategy to leverage likeable people's attractiveness and competent jerks' knowledge:   I.  Manufacture "Liking" To foster positive feelings among people in your organization, use these tactics: Promote familiarity:  Familiarity increases liking, so mix up people's workspaces to provide opportunities for mingling.  Create informal gathering areas where people can engage in water-cooler-style chats.  Conduct all-office get-togethers where people from different functions and units can mix. Foster Bonding:  You'll need an aggressive approach if people are divided by intense animosity or if they've long competed for resources.  In such cases, put people through an intense cooperative experience. II. Leverage The "Likeable" Widely liked people are frequently unexceptional performers.  But their ability to cultivate positive working relationships between diverse groups can generate enormous value for your organization.  To get the most from them: Identify them:  Through 360-degree evaluations and social network analyses, find out who's best at deflating frustration and anger between groups, insulating people from complaints so they can work undisturbed, and connecting people from different parts of your business. Protect them:  Some managers deem likeable people's "soft" contributions as less important than more quantifiable contributions.  During downsizing decisions, carefully consider the value these "affective hubs" generate for your organization. Position them strategically:  Assign likeable people to roles where they can link people from different parts of the organization who might resist (or never think of) collaborating.  For example, have them lead a program to communicate new practices throughout your organization.  Others will listen to them and embrace important change initiatives. III. Reform The Jerks Link rewards for skilled but unpleasant people to their willingness to improve their social skills.  One investment banker who was charming to potential clients but not to coworkers was denied a promotion. Also use coaching: explain how off-putting behavior is self-defeating.  Provide immediate feedback when you see such behavior, rather than waiting for a year-end performance review.  After coaching from his boss, the obnoxious investment banker's behavior improved -- and he was promoted the following year.    * "Competent Jerks, Lovable Fools, and the Formation of Social Networks" was written by Tiziana Casciaro and Miguel Sousa Lobo and published in Harvard Business Review.  The full article is available at: www.hbrreprints.org HRGreenTip  Green Recruiting: Building Your                              Environmental Employment Brand    We recently came across these inspirational words from The Phoenix Zoo: "Our mission is to inspire people to live in ways that promote the well-being of the natural world"          The vast majority of employers underestimate how important a company's degree of "greenness" is to potential hires.  The new thrust of green recruiting is proactive and focuses on making "greenness" a major element of the employment brand.   The time to implement a "green recruiting" strategy is now! Follow these action steps to implement Green Recruiting:   1.  Recruitment Advertising:  Advertise in magazines that candidates who are sensitive to the environment are likely to read.  Highlight a few "eye-catching" facts and any environmental awards you might have won in your recruitment ads.  If you use brochures or paper recruiting materials, make sure it's from recyclable stock and that it says so on the document.   2.  Interviews:  Provide managers with "green" fact sheets to use during interviews.  Show how your firm's environmental record is superior to other firms they might be considering.   3.  Sourcing:  One of the best ways to strengthen your environmental image is to hire lots of environmentally friendly employees who can spread your "green" story through word-of-mouth.   4.  Advisory Group:  Ask the advice of six to eight environmentally friendly employees, measuring the quality of the message you're sending and how to reach and convince more applicants of your strong "green" record.   5.  Value Statements:  Make sure that your corporate goals, values, and even corporate business objectives include environmental elements.   6.  Annual Report:  Because some applicants take the time to read your annual report, make sure it includes sections that highlight your environmental record and the fact that you recruit environmentally friendly employees.   Green recruiting is a chance to differentiate yourself in a recruiting marketplace where standing out from the crowd is already extremely difficult.  Word of caution:  As we have stated previously in HRGreen Tips, employers must "walk the talk" on the environment and sustainability, or they run the risk of being labeled with "greenwashing". HRGroup In Action     Case Study: "Building High Performance Teams"   HRGroup was asked by the Director of a Cultural Council to facilitate a workship focused on improving communication skills of the staff members and enhancing team work.            "Once employees begin to operate in teams, you can begin to expect dramatic reductions in expenses...and significant improvement in satisfaction and performance. - Edward Lawler         In the workshop for the Cultural Council our focus was to have participants gain an understanding of their own workstyle and develop an appreciation of the styles of their teammates.  We addressed: How they respond to problems or challenges How they influence others to their point of view How they respond to the pace of their environment How they respond to rules and procedures set by others In addition to gaining insights into various workstyles, workshop participants discovered their: Basic Characteristics Work Characteristics Value to the Team Value to the Organization Effective Communications Team Effectiveness Factors The Bottom Line:  The "Building High Performance Teams" workshop enabled participants to understand their unique workstyle and how they are able to contribute to team success.  And, they learned to appreciate the styles of others for what they bring to the team and found out how to effectively communicate and successfully work with others.   We encourage you to discover the power of teams!!   Contact Ted or John at 480-753-6188 or info@hrgrouponline.com