Mobile Devices, Meetings, Conferences, and I

I love to be the centre of attention – maybe it’s the Leo within me.

Throughout my career I've enjoyed many opportunities to feed my ego, and share some of my insights, by publicly speaking, at lectures, lunch and learns, and various conferences and workshops.

Years ago, before we were all wired, everyone paid attention. Well, there were the occasional folks who were told by their boss they had to attend, and just didn't want to be there. But they don’t count – you can’t force someone to listen if they've already decided not too.

These days, even those that are supposedly very excited to hear me –or any public speaker – often spend the whole time with their head down, seemingly ignoring the very speech they wanted to hear.

They aren't sleeping. They aren't glancing at their shoes – though sometimes I wonder. They are stuck with their eyes glued to their mobile devices.

Years ago, we’d tell the few that had cell phones and pagers– remember those? – to please turn them off at the start of the session. It was considered rude, and often drew rolling eyeballs of disgust when someone’s cell phone went off during a professional presentation. 

These days, it’s okay.

Wait a sec. . .

NO IT IS NOT OKAY.

We've become so used to people with their heads buried in their mobile devices at all times and in all social and professional situations, that we've been conditioned to ignore it, and just accept it.

But that’ doesn't make it okay.

It’s still the height of rudeness to ignore anyone, while you text, tweet or post a new status update on your mobile device.

It’s rude to take a call, answer an email, or do any of the zillion of other things we do on our mobile devices, when our attention should be on the person speaking.

The problem isn't so much the mobile device, they are just bits of plastic and metal – they can’t control themselves.

The problem is with our increasingly iSociety.

The iPhone was – and still is – a remarkable piece of tech. As Apple founder, the late Steve Jobs said when he first showed off the iPhone “this changes everything.”

Never before has any piece of technology become so entrenched in the notion of our self, that it created a whole cultural change.

Until the iPhone, which now made it possible to spend an entire life, buried head first, eyes glued to the screen.

The iPhone – and now all smart phones and most mobile devices – are so customizable, and so full of every bit of our lives, that we have created a society which is focused solely on the I.

There are few of us or we anymore.

Oh we share everything we think on the social networks. But think about it – when you are tweeting, emailing and texting, and most things we do on our mobile devices, you are engaging in solely singularly one person activities. You don't jointly tweet, email, text or talk.

And as almost everyone these days is wired with one of these mobile devices – or more –  we've become accustomed to living in a world, where eye contact and the thought of interacting with those around us has become a rare – if not unheard of – thing.

We've created an iSociety.

And, sadly, in an iSociety, no one else matters but me, myself and I.

So that speaker you tweeted you were excited to listen to goes unheard. All you remember about the lecture is that cute cat picture someone posted on their Facebook during the speech.

It’s rude to ignore those around you. And it’s even worse that our society has made that an acceptable part of life.

Let’s change that. Starting today, from now on, when you go to a meeting, conference, or any professional or social function, tuck away your mobile device into a pocket, purse or someplace out of sight. And leave it there, out of sight, and out of mind, until you are really alone.

You can do it. I have faith in you.

And you might actually hear that speaker you tweeted you were excited to hear – for a change!

Why Human Resources Departments Get a Bad Rap

The mere thought of having to deal with a person from the Human Resources – or Talent Management Team as they are now anointing themselves – often sends a cold chill down most spines.

Why?

Originally, those in Human Resources did just that – manage the staffing needs of a company. But back in the day, those staffing needs were simple, there weren't big recruitment firms, online job boards, contractors/consultants, term employees, temps and the constant fear of being sued if ya messed up.

These days, Human Resources (HR) departments have become too tenacious for their own good. They have seeded themselves too deeply in the basic functioning of the workplace to be any good. Their reach has grown, but their knowledge, skill and ability has not.

Today, HR is often responsible for all hiring, firings, lay-offs, employee rules and regulations, and sets the tone for the corporate culture.

Many in HR are so overwhelmed with the enormous tasks they are expected to perform daily, they just don’t take the time to do the things which really matter.

And when HR stops doing the things that matter – or any department, team, or individual stops this – they frustrate, anger and offend those they were working with or for.

That’s why people think so poorly of their HR departments, and why so many potential employees hate dealing with anyone in an HR role.

Human Resources does the bare minimum, because that’s all they have the time and people resources themselves to do.

So, asking hiring managers what they mean by key terms and concepts in their job requirements doesn't happen. This leads to HR constantly short-listing the wrong people for the same position, which angers and frustrates not only the hiring manager and his team that really need a body in that role, but also all those potential employees, that end up thinking the company is so disorganized that they’d never want to work for it.

And that’s the real caveat when HR screws up. Although it may have short-term consequences for the teams and departments looking for people in key roles, in the long-term, HR’s lacking generates negative messaging in professional circles, which can and does cost businesses good, quality employees and contractors.

Every professional association event I've ever been too has had at least one or more “horror stories” from someone that is great at what they do, highly respected by their peers and colleagues, and involves a company’s HR team failing them so much, they feel the need to warn everyone never to work for or do business with that company.

Executives need to real-in their HR departments, cutting off their deep-routed roles to limit them, so they can do the role an HR team does best – recruitment and retention of employees.

That’s it. That’s all. That’s what HR departments do best – and when you let your teams and departments do what they do best, your company does what it does best, and you grow your business.

And ultimately people in and outside of the company won’t have as many –or if done right – any – negative experiences with HR. So the reputation and respect of the HR team increases, instead of decreases.