I sat in my kitchen watching the television intently as Lebron (James) stated that he was “taking his talents to South Beach” and joining the Miami Heat, arguably the most talented basketball team currently assembled in the NBA. Sports radio could not leave the topic alone and the debate was not if they would win a title, but how many they would win and could they break the record for most wins in a season.

Reminiscent of the 2004 Dream Team II basketball team that shocked the world by winning only a bronze medal in Athens, the Heat started the season with a dismal 7-9 record. What was going on? You had three of the best players in the league on one team and you couldn’t buy a win. Then it happened. . .eleven wins in a row and now the Heat sit near the top of the NBA food chain.

What do I mean by “it” happened? They started playing as a team. They started to work within the game strategy (offensive and defensive systems), and stopped trying to individually create opportunities. They checked egos. They leveraged talents instead of trying to trump everything with talent. They started listening.

When I take FlashPoint’s message on the road I often state that great systems are better than great people. I say it in part to get people’s attention, but FlashPoint definitely believes that without a great system you will underutilize superstars and eventually lose them.  A great system will also maximize the potential of your average worker by clearly explaining expectations and accountabilities.

What systems am I talking about? Here are just a few:

Talent acquisition system

Onboarding system

Performance management system

Total rewards system

Training and Development

Client engagement system

Succession planning

Even if you don’t have Lebron on your team, if you have great systems in place you can acquire the right talent for your business, maximize their potential, and ultimately make your business more successful.

Jeremy King, SPHR is the Business Development Manager at FlashPoint.

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As part of the 2010 Indiana State Human Resources Conference, FlashPoint asked HR professionals across the state to tell us about the innovative HR-related programs they have introduced at their organizations. I had the opportunity to collect these innovative ideas and present them at the conference where attendees were invited to vote for the idea they considered most innovative. While a winner was selected (to be highlighted here soon), FlashPoint thought that all the ideas were deserving of a little more attention! Now, I get to share the details of these exciting and innovative programs. My hope is that these “mini case studies” will inspire you and your organization to be innovative!

Innovative idea submitted by: Susan Rush, Vice President, Human Resources
Organization:  Buchanan Group, Inc.

Manager’s Resource Manual

Joellyn: Can you briefly describe your innovative HR-related program?

Susan: We developed a Manager’s Resource Manual including comprehensive forms as a reference & resource for training and information on the mission, values, performance factors & behaviors, recruiting & hiring, new employee orientation, performance management, time off, safety & other workplace policies, separation of employment, and legal compliance.

Joellyn: Why did you develop this program? What problem/situation were you hoping to address?

Susan: Managers did not have a standard or any specific tools to best support, develop and review employees. Additionally, legal compliance was an issue that we needed to make sure all managers were aware of.

Joellyn: Why do you consider it innovative?

Susan: It is a one-stop tool to assist managers in handling the managerial portion of their jobs, including standardizing how we handle employees, reviews, legal compliance, etc.
It has become very widely used and referenced by the managers.

Joellyn: What impact have you seen? How did the program address your problem/situation and how has it improved the company and/or the HR function?

Susan: Managers now have a tool that they can review prior to delving into any topic to ensure legal compliance, to gain tips on handling employees with standard issues, to coach and develop them to meet/exceed expectations, to improve the performance review process. It has helped employees become better equipped to handle situations and provides managers with an immediate resource. It has helped supervisors appreciate the value of the Human Resource department and equipped both parties to better support each other.

What idea does this inspire for you and your company? Do you have a Manager’s Resource Manual?

Each month I’ll highlight another HR-related innovative idea. I invite you to subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss other, similar posts. We have more innovative ideas on our FlashPoint website.

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When I started working for FlashPoint earlier this year, I got to sit in on one of our strategic HR peer groups. As the marketing manager, it was one of the best onboarding activities I could have done. I got to hear first-hand about the challenges that HR professionals face, witness peers suggest solutions based on personal experiences, and learn about best practice alternatives from Krista Skidmore, the facilitator. Ok, so maybe it’s not really akin to a play date. But I consider it fun to get like-minded people together and experience great outcomes.

In December, we’ll kick off our 7th year of facilitating the strategic HR peer group. From my co-workers, I sense great excitement of welcoming a new group of HR professionals who are ready and willing to commit to thinking strategically about their roles within their companies.

Have you ever wanted to be in a group like this but wondered if you have the time to commit to it? Perhaps you’ve felt anxious about opening up with your peers or admitting that you and your organization face challenges? Those are questions I would have. To get some perspective, I sat down with Krista and posed my questions. In this video, she shares about the vision for the group, answers questions that prospective participants might have, and provides an example of a success story.

If this sounds valuable to you, if you have questions, or if you would like to apply, contact us at info@flashpointhr.com or 317.229.3035. You can also get all the details on our website. You’ll learn things like how you can get strategic recertification credits toward SPHR, PHR, and GPHR recertification. You’ll also see where some of the other participants work and what they have to say about the program.

Is this a program that would benefit you and your organization?

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As one of FlashPoint’s newest team members and as part of my onboarding and performance management goals, I read The Business of Consulting by Elaine Biech (Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 1999). The book describes success in the consulting business as deriving from the following major areas (assuming that expertise in the subject area has already been achieved):

• First—understanding the consulting environment that one is entering
• Second—developing a business and marketing plan and continually working both plans
• Third—providing excellent customer service and professionalism ALL the time to ALL clients

Approaching a consulting business by taking these steps will help ensure success.

As I relate this book to me and FlashPoint’s team, I realize that each of us plays a role in the human resource consulting business, even if we don’t have “consultant” behind our name. The pieces of the business, initiated by our two principals, are now “owned” by all the members of our team. We are all responsible for the success of FlashPoint, according to our spot on the team. My spot: marketing.

The book’s purpose is to help one decide if he or she is suited for the consulting business. My reading affirmed something that I’ve known about myself for some time now: I do not have the entrepreneurial spirit possessed by FlashPoint’s principals and some of my colleagues to independently be a consultant, let alone start a business. This is evident through choices I’ve made my whole life. For example, in high school I chose team-related activities such as choir and cheerleading versus more individualized sports such as tennis or swimming.

What I do have is the spirit to serve on FlashPoint’s team and help facilitate its success and growth. I like my spot on the team. To that I say, “Go team!”

Do you clearly know what role you serve on your team? If so, please share how you came to that understanding.

Image: Julie Elliott-Abshire

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