How are you holding up? It’s a question we should be asking everyone we know. I’m positive I never thought I’d live to see a situation where all of life as we know it was altered in a matter of days. So, how are you holding up?

The statement “First, do no harm”, or “Primum non nocere” is often incorrectly attributed to the Hippocratic Oath but is thought to be derived from "to abstain from doing harm" in the oath.

No time since 1918 has the medical community faced a challenge like the COVID-19 pandemic we currently face. Beyond the thousands of patients, Department Chairs with their HR partners are facing a different application of this phrase.

Things are crazy right now. That’s not a secret. You may be tired, overwhelmed, and unsure of what to do next. That’s okay. No one expects you to have all the answers – right now or frankly ever. They do expect you to get answers. They do expect you to make the best decision with the information you have in front of you.

Kris Dunn explains why HR professionals should learn the value of saying "yes" more often.
 

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Many of us are “stuck” inside with our significant others. For most of us, we’re probably seeing a whole new side of them as we work from home alongside each other. Personally, there’s no one I’d rather be with 24/7! But, that’s a long time to be around anybody, so here are some tips to come out of these unprecedented times stronger, together.

Set Boundaries & Be Courteous

“Don’t be afraid.”

The leader who says this to an employee either is very much afraid or lacks even a scintilla of empathy. In either case, the statement (or response) is so bad.

First, it is remarkably disrespectful. Don’t tell people how to feel!

We are concluding day three of mandated social distancing here in Northern California but it seems like it's been three months. Its been made apparent that this new style of existence may last for three months.... thus feeling as though we've been in the bunker for 90 years (don't check my math on that).

Just last week major corporations began implementing voluntary work from home policies that have quickly become mandatory as sweeping and very draconian social distancing measures are being mandated by major municipalities across the country.  

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has been very clear about what his organization does with its brilliant jerks: It gets rid of them. As he has said in the past about them: “Some companies tolerate them. For us, the cost to effective teamwork is too high.”

Netflix aspires to develop a “Dream Team,” which they define this way:

Coronavirus. It is nearly impossible to avoid the topic online, on TV, or at work. Gatherings are being canceled or postponed, employers are restricting travel, and organizations are deploying action plans to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

If you’re preparing for a job interview, there are several popular interview questions that recruiters tend to ask. Self Made Millennial Madeline Mann talks about how to answer the question that will most surely be on their list: “Why are you looking to leave your current job?” and all other versions that will help them understand why you left your previous employer. Watch Madeline’s YouTube video for some great tips on answering this question with confidence!  

Few chief learning officers (CLOs) disagree they have a mandate to ensure that learning initiatives align with organizational strategy. A great deal of research exists about how to align the two. However, what does it look like for employees to connect their learning and development with an actual organization’s strategy?

We’re going to start with a brief fact pattern, and then I’ll pose the questions.

Alright, let’s see whatcha got.

FACTS:

In a busy election year, it’s not as easy to be heard when we advocate for policies that will improve people’s lives and make our workforce stronger. There’s too much noise.

We are constantly talking about how to get more women and minorities (but not those Asian or Indian minorities) into STEM careers. If we only catch them sooner, that will be the key. If we only give them more math, that will be the key. If we only pay teachers more, that will be the key. It’s all false.

As a mentoring relationship comes to an end, I will often interview the mentor about what they learned during the relationship. “I need a mentor, too,” is the most popular refrain during these conversations. 

Even the most senior-level employee is often surprised at their own realization about how much they would benefit from mentoring. But it’s indeed true that mentoring is for everyone.