The newest issue of HR NEWS from IPMA-HR includes an intriguing article on “What’s on the Minds of HR Directors.” My version of their summary is:
- The economy – the effects of the recession will be felt for a long time
- Public safety departments are not sharing equally in cuts
- When openings exist, there are large numbers of applicants
- Few pay raises
- Age related 1 – Organizations are staying away from early retirement incentive
- Age related 2 – current retirement plans may be too generous and may not be sustainable
- Age related 3 – there are issues with allowing retirees to return to work
- Greater use of non-monetary recognition
- And finally — HR systems are under stress
GOLF’S SACRED JOURNEY, SEVEN DAYS AT THE LINKS OF UTOPIA
by David L. Cook, Ph.D.
While at a seminar not too long ago a fellow, whose company I had enjoyed for the couple days, commented that this was the best book on golf and sport psychology he had ever read. My immediate thought was of my friend and fellow blogger Dennis and his love for golf. So, I ordered a copy and had it sent to him. I am not a golfer, but was told it would still be a good read, and long having an itinerant interest in sport psychology, asked Dennis to loan it to me if he thought it a good read.
It is a good read and an engaging story, even though much of the technical aspects and jargon of golf flew over my head. Still, my exposure to sport psychology did help me with some of the concepts (eg., pre-shot routines). It is about a young man struggling to make a living playing golf. His skills are not bad, he just keeps choking with the pressure to perform and earn a living. After throwing a fit on one of his worst days on the course he inadvertently finds a small Texas town, a primitive golf course, and a one-time golf pro turned rancher who offers to help the young golfer find his game.
From here on the story mostly focuses on the young golfers journey to regain the intrinsic motivation for playing golf that he experienced as a child. Of course physical golfing technique must by necessity be part of the psychological process and is therefore important to the text too. The author, a sport psychologist renowned in professional golf, employs some wonderfully creative examples of sport psychology techniques including assessment, visualization, positive self-talk, and creation of the all-important pre-shot routine. So, I was having a pretty good time reading a good story written very engagingly until the last few chapters where I found the narrative direction a little distracting.
I had previously known nothing about this author and had no expectations, so I was a little surpised when the emphasis abruptly changed from sport psychology and golf to proselytizing for christianity in the last three chapters. I can understand the psychological value of faith in a higher power (I’ve been there and done that) which is documented in some research. I can understand how this faith, applied from a sport psychology perspective, could be very useful in aiding performance. Still, the author emphasizes “truth seeking” which I think is a valid pursuit, and I have great difficulty endorsing or embracing such a spurious world view, regardless of psychological benefits. Certainly it would appear to be in the nature of the human animal to create and embrace irrational superstitious beliefs, this just doesn’t happen to be one of mine. So I was a little dissapointed in an otherwise fine book which seemed to mask this latent goal until the end.
If you have interests in golf or sport psychology you will likely find some good in this book, as I did. If you additionally enjoy receiving a dose of christian proselytizing you will likely love this book.
Originally, I was going to post job openings that I received here in the blog itself. However, I found it easier to create a separate FaceBook page. So, if you are interested in both local and national job openings in HR, you can join my FaceBook group at DDoverspike Job Listing Home page.
I serve on an IPMA-HR committee that recently looked at Workforce Planning in the public sector. The 2009 IPMA-HR Benchmarking Committee Survey on Workforce and Succession Planning is now available on the website at: http://www.ipma-hr.org/content.cfm?pageid=42. More than 300 members completed the survey which describes how workforce and succession plans are created and implemented. New this year: the report includes ten case studies from various agencies with workforce plans.
The fall series of meetings is starting. Start marking your calendars. The next local IPMA-HR meeting will be held on Thursday, October 22nd at 8:30am at the Brecksville Community Center. The speaker will be Karen Seidman, R.N., M.P.H., consultant to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, who has been working with the various aspects of pandemic influenza preparedness since June, 2006. She will review the basics of seasonal flu and pandemic flu and share current information about vaccine and antiviral medicine. There will be an opportunity to discuss issues and concerns related to pandemic flu in your business environment. Cost will be $10 for members and $15 for non-members which will include breakfast.
From the Washington Post, a short article on the issues in writing employment tests. The article does not say anything new nor does it really spell out the issues, but it does highlight the continuing conflict between the demands of public sector testing for merit and security and the pressures for equal outcomes in employment results.
And is relevant because I will be giving a brief talk on related matters to an HR class at John Carroll on Thursday. Always great to get back to John Carroll.
From Bryan Baldwin and the excellent blog at HR Tests.
Case in point: the state of Washington recently decided to abandon their efforts to implement SAP E-Recruiting after nearly three years and millions of dollars. The state will now go with a hosted solution which is estimated to be $700-800,000 a year cheaper (and hopefully much easier) to maintain.
Having been ringside for some of this, I can tell you the problem was not with motivation or energy, or even IT knowledge. I suspect that a lion’s share of the problem was related to the complexity of the program. This would match reports I’ve read that a significant number of organizations are moving away from single-vendor HR solutions and going with simpler, targeted products. Having heard about this program for a number of years, I have two thoughts:
- As I commented the other day on another site, a problem in HR today is letting technology be the driver rather than scientifically sound HR practices. That is not to say that the State of Washington’s program was not based on sound practices, but a more general observation about issues with technology today in HR.
- Again not specifically aimed at the State of Washington program, but a general observation, it is simply interesting how many times you see programs that receive a great number of accolades and attention, only to quickly slide into oblivion or be quickly replaced with the next hot program.
Tim suggested this for the friday funny,
Marshall Goldsmith’s Succession: Are You Ready (2009) Harvard Business Press
This book is in the Memo to the CEO series. I previously reviewed the book by Steve Kerr on rewards and was highly impressed by Kerr’s title in the series.
The Memo to the CEO series involves very small, short books. As such, they could easily be read on an airplane or, by those so inclined, in the bathroom. The brevity is both a plus and a minus; given the length of the book there is no real depth. I realize executives are busy people, but I often wonder whether one of the problems with business in America is that our top decision makers spend so much time with Reader Digest versions of complex topics.
First, Goldsmith is a top coach and educator. He did not reach such a lofty status without being able to listen well, tell a good story, and deliver useful information in a compact form. All three of these skills are on display in this book.
The book covers the behavioral side of choosing a successor including preparing for the transition, choosing a successor (although the assumption is there is one primary successor), coaching the successor, and passing the baton. The section I found most valuable and interesting was the discussion on why Goldsmith has a preference for internal successors. I found his thoughts on internal succession to be worth the price of the book. On the other hand, if there was a missing piece, I was disappointed that there was not more attention paid to identifying the successor.
Other than the discussion of the preference for an internal successor, there is not a lot in the book that cannot be found elsewhere. However, by design, this is a short summary. I did find it odd that although the book is in the memo to the CEO series, and Goldsmith says it will be written as a series of memos, I never really did see where the book followed a memo structure. But that is a small point.
As Goldsmith admits, the book may have greatest value to the entrepreneur or to the CEO of a small company. Those individuals may not be able to afford or find a coach of Goldsmith’s quality. For those individuals, I except they will find comfort in reading this book from the standpoint of being able to say – “wow, what I am feeling or thinking is not that much different that the experience of others before me.” Sort of like Chicken Soup for the Executive’s Soul.
Overall, Goldsmith delivers an important message in an effective but still compact form.
Les Paul just died this past Thursday, August 13. Thought I’d pen a few lines here as, to my great amazement, the main stream national press doesn’t seem to be saying much about one of the greatest influences on 20th and 21st century music to have lived. Of course true audiophiles including jazz, country, and rock-n-roll lovers, as well as anyone who seriously picked-up a guitar know Les Paul.
He is often credited with inventing the solid electric guitar among many other music innovations. One of his early influences was Django Reinhardt (one of my favorite artists especially when collaborating with Stephane Grappelli). I had not thought much about Les Paul since childhood when about 10 years ago I discovered the wonderful recordings of Kay Starr. Kay notably used Les’ invention of over-dubbing to wonderful effect on her hit, “Wheel of Fortune.” So it is that his influence on modern music began in the 1930s and, though mayhaps not always recognized (especially by the casual music enthusiast), is likely to continue t’ill civilization crumbles. Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Kay Starr, ZZ Top, and Brett Dennen only begin to illustrate the breadth and depth of Les Paul’s influence.
Thank-You Les Paul for making my world a better place to live in.
For those interested, Immergent is providing free MP3 downloads of 5 of the 10 tracks on Les Paul’s latest work, “Les Paul and Friends” at the following site. Unfortunately I believe only through today (sorry I didn’t pick-up on this sooner).
http://www.immergent.com/immergent-remembers-les-paul
