They Didn't Apply

Some managers believe they are fully informed about good management practices. They proclaim their qualifications in terms of association with others in similar capacities or familial involvement in management. The trouble is, these types have no formal training in management or leadership and they have not been groomed for the responsibilities of the position.

When it comes to inclusion, it's important to let everyone in your department know about the event or the open position so that they may choose to attend the event or apply for the position. It is rationalized that some do not attend events because they chose to stay away. Likewise, some reason that some employees do not apply for open positions because they were not interested. The problem with the reasoning in either situation is that the employee was not aware of the opportunity. The choice to not be in attendance or to not compete for the position was removed from their discretion and they were, therefore, excluded from it.

The Open Position

Penny Morey tells us it's simply good management practice to post notice about a new open position internally. There may be workers who are very qualified for the position who were previously invisible to management. There may be others who are interested in that type of position. This is their opportunity to learn more about what it takes to be qualified to compete.

Some companies have a candidate in mind but have guidelines that require the posting of the availability. That candidate has already been pre-screened and probably has been trained in the disciplines of the position. But there may be others who have been quietly going about performing their duties, doing what they're told to do, and polishing their skills through off-duty classes or via social and service organizations. What a loss if one of your long standing loyal is also the best qualified and has been interfacing with the clientele to develop their loyalty to your brand and product - for years.

Susan M. Heathfield explains why it's a good idea to internally post a notice of open positions first from several perspectives. Generically speaking, the requirement may be among the policies listed in the employee handbook. Another reason is in relation to a union shop and the terms of a labor agreement or where the position is in civil service.

Even if the company is not bound by the terms of a bargaining agreement or civil service requirements, it's a good idea to internally post notice of open positions in order to develop a culture where the workforce feels there is opportunity for career growth and development. It's another form of transparency. And it tends to nurture camaraderie by having other team members do what they can to support the one who is vying for the new situation. The practice tends to build morale.

We're not just talking out of the top of our hat. Consider the admonitions of the EEOC when it comes to posting job opportunities and policies in regard to other matters concerning employment.

Did You Go to the Company Picnic?

The company promo says, "We're a fun and inclusive place. There are monthly group activities for all employees. Morale is important here. That's why you'll find happy, satisfied workers serving our clients with the best attitude and abilities ever." The trouble is, only certain ones get the notice about those monthly group activities. The ones who didn't attend? They heard about the event - two days later as an overheard conversation.

If it's an inclusive environment, if there's a desire for healthy diversity, if there's a plan to grow the workforce in order to keep pace with an increasing demand for the company's product, there needs to be a team atmosphere. Cliques just don't work. The result of those will be high turnover and increased costs due to advertising, screening, intake, training, and other factors. Those are dollars that could be put to better use by simply using better talent management strategies.

And Then There's Training

As we've been considering the matter of transparency and inclusiveness with regard to notification of open positions and with regard to internal events, the importance of notifying personnel about the availability of training is also important. It's important for the business to grow in order to keep pace with demands. It's also important to keep pace with innovations and improvements in processes, equipment, and style of delivery. Additionally, there are some members of the workforce who are very interested in continuing to develop themselves and their career opportunities within the company. Remaining in a static position is not everyone's cup of tea.

When there is a company sponsored training, it's wise to alert your personnel. Sometimes a simple notice on the bulletin board will suffice. But they need to know it's available. Of course, they can attend a training elsewhere. But it would be more desirable to attend a training that has company approval so that there's assurance that the content will be in consonance with the needs of the enterprise. Just make certain that the ones who attend the training have ample opportunity to practice what was learned and also apply the training to actual projects.

They Chose Not to - False

It may be convenient to say there were those who were absent by choice. The critical issue is whether they were aware that there was even a choice to be made. Constructive and actual notice are concepts applied to law and real estate, not to participation in activities or vying for a position open to all who are qualified.

Resources:

• Do you legally have to advertise an open position in your company?
  
• Does HR Have to Post Job Openings Internally?
  
• Theories in Total Quality Management
  
• Five Disciplines
  
• Prohibited Employment Policies/Practices
  

Sponsored Links:

• Talent Genius HR Training
  
• PHR/SPHR Certification Exam Preparation
  

Thriving on Challenges

It's time to be reflective and introspective. It's also time to be retrospective, that is to say, look back on the events of these past 365 days and put together the pieces so that there is a rhyme and reason to all of the activity, the comings and goings, the planning and executing, being accepted or not.

The single most continuous factor in this year has been challenge. In this instance, I speak of challenge in the context of a difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it. It forces us to meet the test or else fail. But Life is like a wheel in regard to challenges. Although we will reach an apex at one point, we will then sink from that height, whether from falling action or from failure, and continue to rotate until we come upon the same situation again in a new way and in another place, but still basically the same test to challenge our skills. And it is our ability to survive and pass the test that spells success as well as moving on to another level of challenges that will push our thinking, creativity, resourcefulness in order to claim a new victory with the arsenal of skills and talents that we amass as we move along our Life path.

The interesting thing about failing a challenge is that most of us get curious about what might have occurred had we succeeded. What's on the other side of the challenge and what is in the reward? Sometimes it's intangible. It lends itself to being able to communicate with others more effectively or to see the circumstances of others in an enlightened manner. We no longer need to judge another because we've developed an empathy with the person or the situation. There's better comprehension of more that's involved and we have a flavor of the dynamics against which the other is contending.

That taste of the potential victory spurs us to try again. We are in a position to appreciate the challenge we just faced because of the initial involvement. We realize how much more was involved in order to achieve success, even though we may not yet have a full sense of all that is necessary for that final conquer. Some of us analyze what we experienced, step by step, piece by piece, to determine what happened at each juncture, looking at what the various alternatives would have yielded had we moved in one direction rather than another. Just imagining this tends to get us excited, spurring us to leap to the next opening with enthusiasm. Just one more chance and it can be done. There'll be success!

And the curiosity spurs another aspect that can lead to development of even more skills -- creating alternatives. We create alternative methods of regaining the opportunity to face the challenge that will lend opportunity to do the next level of functions. Alternatives can be more than just maneuvering to be in the right place at the right time. Alternatives can also build new ways of overcoming old situations. Perhaps instead of climbing over the mountain, it is possible to tunnel through or under it, or simply go around it. Having executed any of the alternatives, even more perspectives are revealed to us. We learn more about the available terrain and its attributes -- the advantages and the recourses.

Welcome the Challenges

You expect me to say we should welcome challenges. I won't disappoint you. Without challenge, there's a life led in a static state. Challenges inspire and teach. Yes, to be certain, they are difficult. But what good comes from something that's a constant cake walk? We take the fruit for granted and don't appreciate any of what went into the development and gaining of the reward. We don't appreciate the knowledge that resulted from the experience. In fact, it's tossed aside like a gum wrapper so we can latch onto something that seems to hold more value in many ways. The resulting aptitude is something that is put off for another day. We don't stay as far ahead of the pack as we could without the challenges; we don't inspire others to push to be their full and best selves.

It's also important to enjoy the results of the challenge -- the victory. It's imperative to take the time to absorb who we were before the challenge and what we have become, what we have accomplished because of it. Most importantly, it'/////s absolutely necessary to see what we have done if physical representation is possible. Otherwise, it will feel as though we've simply been taking one step after a mindless next one. Sense and see the change in order to allow it to become part of who you are and spur even more growth.

Perhaps that one word is what challenge is all about -- growth. With everything in this and all other universes, the other constant is growth in order to extend the civilization, species, existence, and progress. To stop growing is to stop living. To stop growing is to stagnate and die because you become useless and rusty.

Desire for growth is healthy. Its seed is the curiosity that was addressed earlier. Repetition isn't necessary. Just a reminder that it behooves us to get curious about things and challenge ourselves to find the answer, find a new way, a better way, an improved way. And once those new things are developed, we should be mindful to evaluate all of them individually and against one another to determine whether there was in fact improvement or just a lot of flurry and activity for the sake of being in a state of agitation. Purposefulness is important to curiosity and growth.

Opening Doors

At the end of all of these activities and efforts, we should find that we are able to open more doors -- doors to Opportunity. Additionally, as we open one door of opportunity, it should then lead to another challenge that contains the seeds of the unknown and the budding of curiosity about the potentials that lead to success and yet another door to another opportunity.

Commencement

So as we begin this year 2008, may you have many challenges that you meet with success by satisfying your curiosity about the potentials and alternatives. And may those challenges be filled with an endless hall of Doors of Opportunity.