What Have I Learned (Final I & II)

Final Part I

Week 1

#1 – Virg Setzer – "Your Instructor's Feedback Presentation"

Feedback is typically 15% positive and 85% negative.

I find that I'd be flipped. I'm generally nervous about confrontation and almost exclusively give positive feedback. I think a lot about "acknowledging" people. The only negative feedback I feel comfortable providing is to my superiors. This is reserved for particular circumstances if I see their actions causing turmoil for stakeholders or a customer's experience. I imagine this, too, is atypical.  

#2 – Virg Setzer – "Your Instructor's Feedback Presentation"

When managing feedback delivery, it should be simple and direct (i.e., concise)

A struggle of mine is being long-winded. It's helpful to know to give less detail regarding word count, and just be more impactful with the chosen words.

#3 – Virg Setzer – "Your Instructor's Feedback Presentation"

Do not use the sandwich approach when giving feedback (i.e., positive, negative, positive)

Conventional wisdom shares to use the sandwich approach. I find that off-putting specifically because it seems disingenuous and reduces trust. I would assume the person delivering the negative feedback had that in mind and then would look for two soft "positives" to add around the actual feedback that they wanted to share. It is nice to learn that you have not found this approach effective in your career. 

#4 – Virg Setzer – "Your Instructor's Feedback Presentation"

When receiving feedback, at no time should you defend or explain yourself. 

I am guilty of defending and explaining immediately after my leader provides feedback. I view this as giving insight into my perspective. However, this learning point allows me to understand a better approach would be to leave the conversation without sharing that insight. After processing the comments, ask for time to return and share my perspective, if needed. 

#5 – Virg Setzer – "Your Instructor's Feedback Presentation"

Words, both nourishing and depleting, affect brain chemistry. 

The greatest learning I brought into my sales career was the function of the amygdala. It allowed me to understand that people listen to their emotions first and logic second. This new critical point provides me with the context that simply hearing certain words and sentences can affect brain chemistry positively and negatively. And ultimately, because of my previous learning, I trust the importance of information as it relates to neuroscience and how individuals process their surroundings. 

 #6 – Virg Setzer – "Your Instructor's Feedback Presentation"

Eliminating the use of should, why, but, always, and never will improve my conversational intelligence. 

Admittedly, this is a blind spot for me. I use these words with the regularity of likely the average person. This is my favorite takeaway from the presentation and one that I will most consider going forward in my professional and personal life. 

Week 2

#7 – Textbook (Page 7) – Fundamentals of Human Resource Management (3rd Edition) 

When updating efficiencies (i.e., software), you must update job descriptions if the employee is now tasked with greater responsibility.

I never really considered how job descriptions would need to evolve with evolving positions for existing employees. Further, and more interesting, this additional responsibility could empower the employees as it could grow new skills and give them more authority.

#8 – Textbook (Page 3) – Fundamentals of Human Resource Management (3rd Edition)

As an organization grows, it will hire Human Resource Business Partners to assist line managers with human capital-related activities. 

I hadn't ever given thought to the specific human resource structure within the four organizations I've worked for after college. I learned this lesson before a three-day on-site visit to my corporate office. We have two dedicated HRBPs, and they are each responsible for multiple departments since we are currently a lean start-up. I've been at other companies where we have an HRBP solely for our department and another where we did not have one at all. 

#9 – Textbook (Chapter 1) – Fundamentals of Human Resource Management (3rd Edition)

Employees can seek development from both their line manager and human resources.

Earlier in my career, I have felt like I have been in a departmental silo. This learning was a good reminder that I can always contact Human Resources for developmental opportunities and am not limited to only my department leader.

#10 – Virg Setzer & Team 6 – Team Leader Selection

I should recognize expert advice and let it guide more of my decisions.

I only share the following because it was one of the more important takeaways from this course. I want to state that Team 6 has an adequate team leader. She ensures that the job gets done. I overlooked the expert advice: "Please meet (conference call, Zoom, etc.) and select your Team Leader." During a hectic week, Team 6 opted to select its leader quickly and not have a live discussion. Had I heeded your advice, I would have advocated that I take on the Team Leader's responsibilities- which may have led to smoother completion of assignments. Again, no significant issues with our leader- this was low stakes. But this situation will help provide me with perspective for the future. 

Week 3

#11 – Dave Ulrich, et al – HR From the Outside In 

Human Resources is the business, not simply a department looking to connect itself to business strategy. 

The real business comes from the outside in- expectations of the critical stakeholders and strategies that give the organization a competitive advantage. Human Resources adds value when they focus their efforts on the business rather than finding ways to connect themselves to the company. This is helpful because I often organize Human Resources as just another department. 

#12 – Dave Ulrich – "Do You Want to Be More Effective as an HR Professional? Here's How"

Human Resources has evolved to account for changing business needs. 

The University of Michigan has developed eight models using comprehensive research since 1987. It was fascinating to dig into the changes from 2012 to 2021. Even more interesting was the fact that extensive research has been conducted, which leads me to wonder if other job functions have similar evolving models. 

#13 – Dave Ulrich – "Do You Want to Be More Effective as an HR Professional? Here's How"

The core function of Human Resources changed between 2012 and 2021- per the HR Competency Models. 

Human Resources is tasked with "simplifying complexity" in 2021 instead of being a "credible activist" in 2012. The global pandemic likely had a significant effect on this change. 2012 does not seem like that long ago. I was in the workforce at that age, and to think that Human Resources had undergone a significant transformation over my still-young career is fascinating. 

#14 – Dave Ulrich – "Do You Want to Be More Effective as an HR Professional? Here's How"

Simplifying complexities for your employees is the first step in being an effective leader.

Ulrich did not directly state this, but it is an independent concept connecting his work with my current work environment. My VP needs to help simplify the complexities around my role. While I am achieving my key performance metrics and attaining quota within our focus products, I am not working efficiently, perceive that I do not have a work-life balance, and am resentful of him. I have asked for specific help with inefficiencies and provided ideas and research, but I am quickly dismissed. In the future, I would continue to think about how my role when I serve in leadership is to help simplify complexity for those I lead.

Week 4

#15 – KAMGuru.com – "The Evolution of Key Account Management" 

Other job functions have models that evolve over time.

When I was exposed to Ulrich's models, I began thinking about models in other job functions. I am transitioning out of my current company and into a new National Key Account Manager role. This week, I investigated the evolution of the KAM function and saw that a model with less extensive research does exist. Across the decades, the duties have evolved from "The Entertainer" to "The Informer" to "The Problem Solver" to today, where the role is the "Business Partner." This brief history is helpful going into my new position. 

#16 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

While organizational health is simple and free, three biases stop leaders from embracing it. 

It is a good reminder that emotions often supersede logic. The three biases: sophistication, adrenaline, and quantification, either excite or are how leaders view themselves. These are emotional beliefs, not grounded in facts. And it is these beliefs that stop many leaders from adopting and embracing organizational health. 

#17 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

Organizational health is the plate of the organization.

Many executives fall into the trap of believing they are too sophisticated, busy, or analytical to focus on organizational health. Organizational health is not a side dish. It is not the meat nor the potato. It's the plate holding all the food (i.e., the entire organization). This metaphor was very helpful in my understanding of the importance of the concept shared in the book. 

#18 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

Most leaders prefer to look for answers where they are most comfortable.

This was very profound for me as it made me consider where my blind spots might be as I make decisions or guide others in business and life. This statement in the book has stuck with me close to daily ever since I read it.

Week 5

#19 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

Conflict is needed because people won't achieve commitment unless they can give input, ask questions, and understand the rationale. 

I learned that "very few people in the world are incapable of supporting something because they initially had a different idea." While this seems obvious in hindsight, it is a quote I will think about for business and my personal life. 

#20 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

Leadership Teams can achieve cohesion and behavioral unification through an effective offsite retreat and sharing Myers Briggs testing results with one another. 

In my new role, I am consulting for a start-up, with the intention that the start-up will hire me after we hit key objectives and unlock more funding. The client consists of six people, and establishing a cohesive leadership team will need to occur once we receive additional funding. I am glad I was equipped with this learning to provide perspective during that process. 

#21 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

A leadership team should consist of 3-12 people, but more than eight is usually too much.

While this was stated for leadership teams, it holds for teams in general. Communication becomes too much, and it is hard for team members to have collective and shared goals when groups are too large. This, too, is essential learning for me as I embark on the next steps in my career. 

#22 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

Vulnerability-based trust is the trust that will allow you to develop an effective leadership team. 

This means that all parties involved are comfortable being transparent and honest. Individuals do not allow their egos to hide mistakes or weaknesses. A deep level of trust is established, which is the root of any effective relationship, personal or business.

Week 6

#23 – Classmate (Hayden S.) – My People Competencies Discussion Post

"Being an educator is more than making sure people know things, but it is providing a holistic knowledge base that allows people to grow in many ways." 

Hayden is a smart guy. I appreciated reading this as it reinforces my view of education. Concepts we learn in school or at work are almost always directly relatable to other aspects of academia, business, and even our personal lives. 

#24 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

The fundamental attribution error states that we give ourselves the benefit of the doubt in situations where we may otherwise judge another party.

I appreciate now knowing that there is a name for this concept. I will pay particular attention when I am frustrated with an individual based on their actions. I will ask myself if I would give myself more slack in this scenario. 

#25 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

One of the most critical components of organizational health is clarity. 

Clarity of vision, values, and strategy needs to first be established by leadership. Then it must be communicated top-down, laterally, and be integrated into business processes for reinforcement. Clarity minimizes ambiguity and opens an environment where leaders and individual contributors can be efficient and empowered.

#26 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

There is a competitive advantage to making decisions quickly. 

When you take too long to decide, resources are occupied that could otherwise be used elsewhere. Delaying movement creates mediocrity and "failure over time." If the quick decision is not the best, it is okay. Organizations learn from making bad decisions too. 

#27 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

When establishing organizational values, be honest with yourself- are they aspirational, accidental, or core? 

Though I am leaving my current organization, something I was eager to participate in was establishing a Vision Statement and reassessing our Core Values. The differentiation between aspirational, accidental, and core was a new concept I began considering for this future project. Looking at the organization's core values, I quickly recognized that two of the four are aspirational values- "technological leadership" and "customer service." I found these three categories to be enlightening. 

#28 – Patrick Lencioni – "The Advantage"

Strategy is "a collection of decisions a company makes in efforts to thrive and differentiate themselves in a market."

While I use the word strategy often in business discussions, I never considered its definition. Given the definition, it means that every decision, whether good or bad, intentional or unintentional, is a part of the organization's strategy. This is an insight because it means that bad and unintended decisions are still "strategy," which seems counter-intuitive to the word.   

Week 7

#29 – Classmate (Erica B.) – What Have I Learned Discussion Post 

You need to get uncomfortable and welcome conflict to maintain organizational health. 

My classmate expanded on this concept I had touched on in learning #19. She shared, “I didn’t speak up because I haven’t built that trust with my team to feel comfortable doing so. It’s simply a cause and effect situation that just needs to get nipped in the bud.” The nuance I may have otherwise let slip between the cracks is that when vulnerability-based trust does not exist, you will quietly check out the ideas your colleague is trying to convey if you initially disagree.

#30 – Classmate (Melinda L.) – What Have I Learned Discussion Post

In the future, we may describe people by their value in an organization rather than their position. 

Melinda shared a statement that allowed me to connect a dot and develop the above theory. We noticed that the HR Competency Model has shifted to using verbs to describe the actions HR professionals should be mindful of- i.e., simplifying complexities. I see a scenario in the future where job titles become less prevalent, and folks will not primarily be identified by their function- instead by the value they would provide to an organization in that function.

#31 – Classmate (Victoria H.) – What Have I Learned Discussion Post

“When you receive feedback well, it makes people want to give you feedback more often.”

This is an essential observation because more feedback will lead to more substantiated personal and career development.

#32 – Classmates (All) – What Have I Learned Discussion Post

Views and understanding of HR professionals vary drastically from person to person.

Of course, everyone comes in with different perspectives and can have thoughts and feelings that would be considered anomalies to another person. However, the opinions of the effectiveness and responsibilities of the HR professional vary more widely than most other professions- and I say this as a sales professional (a job function that is often misunderstood). This realization helps me better empathize with the responsibilities of those within this department. Additionally, the learnings in this course have helped me better recognize those HR folks who are exceptional in their work.  

Final Part II

The David Ulrich's article "Do You Want to Be More Effective as an HR Professional? Here's How" contained my most critical learning point regarding managing people for competitive advantage. I discovered the following concept in week three of the course, "Simplifying complexities for your employees is the first step in being an effective leader." Ulrich did not directly make this statement. I extracted it from his work that shares simplifying complexities is at the core of human resource competencies and aligned it with a current career struggle of mine.  

            My VP needs to help simplify the complexities around my role. While I am achieving my key performance metrics and attaining quota within our focus products, I am not able to work efficiently, perceive that I do not have a work-life balance, and am resentful of him. I have asked for specific help with inefficiencies and provided ideas and research, but I am quickly dismissed. These past eleven months working with this individual, so many minor issues have accumulated to a tremendous amount of stress and struggle in both my work and personal life. This learned concept allows me to organize my thoughts and provide clear feedback on why I am leaving the organization- I will provide my resignation within the week. I understand why I want to leave, but having an easy-to-share statement encompassing most of the individual issues will make this conversation go more smoothly.

            This is a critical conversation because I want to leave on a good note. I have made a noteworthy impact on our startup and have forged strong relationships. I respect our founders and truly enjoy my colleagues. I even like my VP, as a person, of course, and not as a leader. Something I need help with is that I can be very literal. I developed this communication style while speaking with doctors and healthcare staff in surgical settings. When talking with leadership, I can speak in that same manner which is not socially intelligent because there is no urgency, and they are people with emotions. No patient is on a table, so the setting does not warrant complete literalness. 

            I've spent a lot of time thinking about how I would share my eventual resignation with my VP, and every time I began thinking, I went down a rabbit hole of all the things I needed to share. I created a note that has accumulated a long list of specific issues, but I understood that stating the list's contents was poor form. I couldn't find the correct theme to be the umbrella for all the nonsense, but now I have it. "I realized that I put a lot of value in my leader making it their top priority to simplify complexities for me and my team." After sharing this, I can offer more insights if he asks, but I am not sure he will because he has a strong ego. Professor Setzer, my VP, would be a perfect client for you. 

            Finally, in the future, I will remember this experience I lived and the concept I learned. It will guide me when I serve in leadership roles and manage future teams.  

Works Cited

Dessler, Gary. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. Pearson Education Limited, 

2014.

Lencioni, Patrick. The Advantage. vol. 1, Jossey-Bass, 2012.

Setzer, Virg. “The Power of Feedback.” Jan. 2023. 

"The Evolution of Key Account Management." KAMGuru, www.kamguru.com/resources/the-

evolution-of-key-account-management/. Accessed 26 Jun. 2023.

Ulrich, Dave. "Do You Want to Be More Effective as an HR Professional? Here’s How." 25 

May 2021. 

Ulrich, Dave, et al. HR From the Outside In. McGraw Hill, 2012.