It’s said that Salvador Dali found inspiration for his famous painting The Persistence of Memory by seeing melting Camembert cheese melting after sitting in the sun in 1931.  One of my favorite songs, Yesterday by Paul McCartney, had original lyrics that were inspired by scrambled eggs. Of course, Chicago also had the hit You’re the Inspiration (a middle school dance staple during my awkward teen years)!

I find inspiration in many places and a various times. For me, music is a constant inspiration and method to decompress after a week at work. However, I also find myself getting inspiration from beautiful scenes I see (yes, nature is important) and even the interactions I have with people in my organization.

The topic of inspiration spilled over during a conversation I had last week about intrinsic motivation and finding the individual things that make us all tick. As an experiment, I asked a few people I work with a question.

What inspires you?

This has proven to be a powerful question and it is not one that those I have asked it to have been asked before. It’s brought some great stories to the forefront and even prompted one of those I asked to share how she was inspired to become a teacher. That connection is something I will treasure knowing.

So, this week my challenge for you is simple. Ask someone what inspires him or her and cherish learning something new about someone. Who knows, you may find a new inspiration from an answer you hear.

Welcome to Allegro HR

Welcome to 2017!

The beginning of 2017 is a start for something new in my life. It marks the official launch of my new HR consulting firm, Allegro HR.

During the last quarter of 2016, there was work put into the planning, launch, and building of this new business and now that 2017 has arrived, the curtains are being pulled back and the official start is underway.

As anyone starting their own venture has experienced, there are so many questions that remain unanswered.  However, I move forward with confidence and an incredible network of people supporting my efforts!

Allegro is poised to focus on organizational development, executive coaching, recruitment and selection, as well as speaking and presenting. My website is active at allegrohr.com and I anticipate starting a monthly podcast within the next couple of months too!

I would like to take this moment to thank the many people who have provided guidance to me. So many of my consulting friends have willingly shared advice with me and have been so supportive as I have moved forward with this venture. Thank you all for your brilliance, your time, and the sharing of so many of your hopes and dreams.

Remember, the term allegro in music means bright and lively. It is my belief that HR can be bright and lively as well!

Is there a song, piece of music, or sound that you rely on for inspiration?

My #HRMusicShare friends should have some great answers for this one!

What class (in high school, college, or grad school) influences you now in a way that you did not anticipate at the time you originally took the class?

I know I need to think on this one for a bit. I hope you do as well!

My answer comes in my next post! Feel free to chime in.

My intent is not to answer any of life’s big questions (like who will win a battle between Batman and Superman) but to trigger some exploration and reflection. My plan is to post the question for all to see on Monday and provide my own response to it the following day. Even if this doesn’t trigger public discussion or disclosure, I hope that anyone reading this will think to themselves about how they might answer the question.

Look for the series to begin next week. Until then, stay warm and safe my friends!

It’s time to do some thinking and reflecting.

Many of us certainly don’t feel like we have accomplished enough toward getting things done. Although I’m not one for resolutions, to be effective, there should be goals to accomplish and items to achieve.  Most of us have those just as we have the good intentions of getting things done

Of course, many people get caught up in the day-to-day items that pop up and end up dominating our time and attention. Even those with the best intentions can be inadvertently caught having to put out the fires of the day and lose sight of the bigger picture or prize that we want to achieve.

That’s why it is good to take a step back and see what we need to do to reach our ultimate goal and know where we are.

So, accept this as a casual coaching check-in.

• Where are you in making progress toward your goals for the year?
• What additional resources do you need and what steps have you taken to secure them?
• Are there others who can help you?
• Have there been any unexpected barriers encountered so far?

Don’t worry, on the 28^th of February, the year will only be 16.2 percent complete so there is still time.

As a leader in an organization, it’s important that we regard change not as a mechanism for loss, but as an opportunity to grow and expand our horizons. Share examples from your own change events that demonstrate this. These stories can be powerful tools to show a little of yourself while emphasizing the ultimate outcome that has happened to date.

Ralph Waldo Emerson captured this sentiment beautifully when he said:

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”

As we wrap this year please go ahead and add to your life through change!

In many ways, the positive influence of a leader is at the heart of seeing an organization’s employees do their best to meet the shared goals of the organization.  Remember, the simple act of “telling it straight” is one important element.  It is doing this consistently that leads to the continuous building of this social capital that enables people to trust that the right decisions are being made and that they, as employees, are trusted to do the things needed to be creative and innovate in their workplace.

We have seen examples of toxic environments that are improved by changing the person at the top.  If you are a leader in your organization, are you making a positive impact or are you placing yourself in the unenviable position of being the one replaced?

My wife Susanne is truly my better half and I am fortunate that she not kicked me to the curb during our 15+ years of marriage.  Instead, she has found a great opportunity in her chosen field and we have decided to grab it.  We have discovered through the process of working with headhunters executive recruiters that her skill set and expertise is highly desired and certainly much more special than some HR mumbo jumbo that I could develop over time.  So, after 10 wonderful years living in Bloomington and enjoying all it has to offer, we are moving north to pursue her opportunity in Michigan.

As we start out on the road to Kalamazoo, there are going to be bumps along the way.  Those bumps are expected and certainly provide the chance to embrace what is important and to grow as new challenges await.  I am confident that my own future is wide open with possibilities.  I have exactly one week to go in my MBA program and cannot wait to put my skills to work in a new environment and engage in unforeseen challenges.  Although finding an organization to associate with on a full-time basis would be grand, I am equally intrigued at the possibility to start executive coaching on a regular basis and could certainly do that throughout the Midwest. Any referrals would certainly be welcomed!!

Feeling abundant, seeking to empower others, and demonstrating to my children what being good is about provides me with purpose and passion.  These resonate well with my core beliefs:

• Look for the best in everybody
• Take calculated risks
• Dream Big
• Make time for what matters
• Have fun

Although there will be many things to be missed about being in Bloomington, the memories I take, visits that will be made, and lifelong friends to be cherished are always an important part of what’s next!

The stories being conveyed cover the range of good HR tales.  As often happens when HR folks gather, we are able to talk to others who live and understand the daily challenges that come into our world.  In many ways, it’s even a bit therapeutic to know that the weird event that happened at your workplace last week is not unique and that your reaction is considered normal in the typical human experience.

This provides a valuable lesson for communicating on a larger level as well.  So often, we are afraid to show some vulnerability to those around us.  Using stories as a tool can benefit organizations to incorporate others into an organization’s culture, its practices, and as a way to share information.  When using storytelling in an organization, there are three elements that can ensure we are being as effective as possible:

Does the story integrate some portion of your own story?  People need some personal connection so that they can incorporate the lessons into their personal meaning.

Does the story have an element that links the organization to others?  This builds on the larger sense of belonging that we have.

Does the story talk about the situation as it stands right now?  A story must tie the organization’s past to the present day and the current situation it finds itself facing.  It’s an opportunity to remind people that today’s challenges are often similar to those faced previously.

So, what’s your story and how does it convey your sense of the organization?

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