Modeling the Way - HRDO 590

The term "expectation" means "an awaiting." It is the belief that someone will or should achieve something. Early on in my career I began my very first management position at Target Corporation. Target set the bar for professionalism, attitude in the workplace, development, and team achievement.   I seemed to fit in quite well with my "A-type" personality. Type A personalities are extremely competitive with a very strong sense of urgency. And, as we all know, there are pros and cons to any personality type. When I began working at Target I worked alongside managers that were just like myself. We all strived for greatness within our roles. Some employees had been there longer than I had. As a part of my developmental plan I was connected with a top performing Executive Team Leader to train and learn the "Target Way." I shadowed this person and learned specific processes for the teams I would oversee. I learned what the expectations were for interactions between managers, upper management and bottom line employees. I was expected to perform well according to the core competencies for managers. The daily operations required managers to be extremely organized and knowledgable in order to make quick, sound decisions according to the business needs. I trained and coached on the information I would need to share with my peers and my manager.

In order to keep track of my progress I kept a spreadsheet indicating which goals I was working on and which goals I accomplished. Each goal was aligned with strategic goals for the store and then for company goals. I was expected to complete Leadership statuses on a monthly basis, which allowed my manager and myself to discuss good/green metrics and areas of opportunities. This process also allowed for corrective actions. Through my rigorous development I was able to mirror the expectations bestowed upon me to the 6 direct reports I had. I also created the same expectations for our team. We were able to build upon our areas of opportunities and created a solid training process. Eventually, I was able to help promote two of my direct reports based off of expectations set and proactive steps taken by them to develop themselves further into the business.

Inspiring a Shared Vision: Share the vision for the future of your organization. HRDO590

           

I am a visionary by nature. What is a visionary? Webster dictionary says, "A visionary leader is one who thinks about or plans the future with imagination and wisdom." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Albert Einstein, Nelson Mandela, John Rockefeller, Warren Buffet, and Steve Jobs are all great examples of visionary leaders. I encourage you, the reader, to think of examples of visionary leaders, what made them successful and why.

I had the opportunity to speak with a young girl at the organization I work for. She currently works in the Development office and helps to obtain grants and additional funding for projects the organization wants to promote. She sought me out for lunch because she noticed that I was the "new girl" in my department. Based off of my position, she was eager to share her knowledge and learn about my role and vision for success. I think it's appropriate to mention she is a millennial. The reason I mention this is because the organization I work for comprises several people that have worked there for 20+ years. There is a new wave of leaders coming to work for the organization whom are younger and do not have as much time invested. As we engaged in conversation I explained to her my passion for training and development and professional development. I was able to share with her my ultimate goal of setting our organization as the platform for training and development in the industry. She then mentioned her desire to help develop for the future. She shared with me that she wants to engage in a corporate culture that fosters more professional development and creates a feeling of connection. She envisions other organizations seeking to learn about our processes to lead change in our industry. One thing that stuck out to me during our conversation was her desire to recruit young leaders into the organization. I can identify with this vision because the next wave of leaders will be young and there's a desperate need for succession planning. This is certainly an area of interest for myself to develop processes for succession planning. 

This conversation let me know that my goals, my vision, and values align with where the organization is and where it's headed.

Top 5 Reasons why learning in the workplace is important to me and should be for you! HRDO 561

Top 5 Reasons Why Learning in the Workplace is Important:

There are several different learning styles employees use to develop themselves in the workplace. Depending on how an employee chooses to engage with their surroundings, coworkers, and outside influences their perspective on the importance of learning in the workplace can vary. Here are my top reasons why learning in the workplace is important to me and I'll explain why it should be for you.

1. Learning is a constructive process - As time goes on and people experience different phases in life, new perspectives on those experiences help to shape new ideas. In the workplace, as new ideas are formed, employees add to their base knowledge and skill set they began with. This allows the employee to refine their skills and adapt to changes within the organization over time. It is critical to be flexible with perspectives on learning and gaining knowledge to continue growth and development.
2. Learning and development go hand-in-hand - Continuous learning in the workplace leads to development. Without this action, development does not occur. In every organization there is the employee that wants to learn more (engaged) and there are employees who want to remain stagnant and go home when the work day is over. Often times I've heard an employee say, "I just want to come in, do my job and go home. That's it." That statement makes me cringe. Every day is a new day to learn something knew to develop your experience, your mind, your learning and skill set. Successful organizations are constantly developing their employees by giving opportunities to learn.
3. Constant learning in the workplace fosters understanding and an appreciation for different perspectives - As an employee continues to learn in the workplace, that employee can and should develop and appreciation for other learners working along side them and their perspectives. This is what allows the creative process in an organization to develop. Every organization should allow for a creative space for employees to share ideas and implement new processes. Product development is one area where continuous learning and appreciating a different perspective would be very important.
4. Learning introduces change for organizations to stay competitive and current - Change is good. Change is needed. Change is inevitable. When change occurs, learning is synonymous with development. New processes are formed, new policies, new initiatives, new ways to communicate, and enhanced organizational cultures stem from change. To stay competitive with other companies in the market organizations must be able to adapt. And, that usually means change. 
5. Learning in the workplace is a benefit to the employee and the organization - As an employee learns new things that individual will apply those new learnings to what they are currently doing within the organization. The organization can benefit from this tremendously. The employee is engaged and the organization is invested.

This list is certainly not exclusive. What are your top 5 reasons? I encourage you to find 5 different reasons!