The Crow

Listen to a Cry for Help

 

Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good found on R&B 

I liked Amy Winehouse. It was obvious she was a total train wreck, but she was a talented one. And she wore her heart on her sleeve. I loved her vulnerability, her truthfulness, and her amazing voice. I related to her on some level.  Maybe a few.  So did a lot of people, which is why she sold a lot of records (well, people don’t sell records anymore, but you know what I mean).

It seems so tragic and yet this woman I don’t even know, I was just thinking a couple of days ago, “she’s probably going to die young.  Soon, even.” Where the hell were her friends? Family? If I could tell she was on the road to ruin and I didn’t even know her…where were these people?

Do you have a friend or coworker (or both) who needs an intervention? What are you waiting for? The news report? So you can say, “dang, I knew he needed help, but…” No buts! Get off of yours and say something. Do something. Anything. Do your best. Let's not let another young, talented person die unnecessarily because no one had the cojones to help them.

tracy c

Full Moon and the Fetal Position

 

 
image courtesy  kd_230692 on flickr 

Some days are just like that. Where everything seems totally messed up, nothing works right, the guy in the beamer won’t let you switch lanes, the big truck almost hits you, your kids won’t go to bed, you’re almost out of decent red wine, it’s garbage night and super cold out, all your favorite underwear are dirty, you can’t cook because the oven is messed up from when you caught it on fire last week, your family is crazy, your neighbor still has sheets in his window after 2 years of living there, your starbucks card only has $1.25 on it and you’re out of cash, you remember that you haven’t paid the ticket you got last month, of the approximately 50 bills sitting on your kitchen table, half are due or probably overdue, your kid lost a library book, the magic fairy forgot to clean the house, the load of laundry you forgot about it still sitting in the washing machine, you discovered  a new gray hair right in front, your recruiting manager just quit, the non-soggy laundry doesn’t appear to be folding itself, you have 162 things on your to do list and did I mention out of wine?

When you have a day like that, what do you do to stay sane? Pet a puppy? Chase a rainbow? Hug someone? Drink copious amounts of wine? Go running? Watch your favorite movie (Pride and Prejudice, anyone?) for the umpteenth time? Make fun of people? Eat chocolate? Watch a sporting event? Sleep? Or...

I could use some new ideas right about now!

tracy c

 

F*&% Yeah Crows!

 

 
 

Loving the crow focus on this site:

http://fuckyeahcrows.tumblr.com/

They say, "corvids & black feathered wannabes, focusing on the CAWsomeness of the crow".

The official crows on this site have been a little...busy...lately! Check out the cawsomeness and enjoy!

tracy

Is Punk Rock HR Dead?

 

Image from the Punk Rock HR blog: http://punkrockhr.com/

Because I never have time to actually read a blog, much less write on my own, I only belatedly discovered that the woman who writes the Punk Rock HR blog apparently retired.

Not sure why I should care, since she often wrote about stupid crap like her husband taking out the trash bin (or not) or her stupid cats (I have similar problems but I don’t generally feel inspired to write about them, I just save those complaints for my mother). But, I think I respected her mostly because she had the most awesome name _ever_ for her blog.

I emailed the guy allegedly keeping it up, but his last post was 8/30. Not that I can talk but whatever. They have lots of readers. I have like, 3 (thank you, you know who you are).

Let me just say, regardless of the work pressures, the world needs more punk rock HR leaders. Workers unite -- and admit it; punk rock HR folks are way more fun and easier to talk to. Am I right???

tracy

Should You Lie When You Apply?

Video thanks to BR123 on YouTube; Article referenced was Washington Post

Roger Clemens, the most decorated pitcher in baseball history, was indicted Thursday on charges of lying two years ago when he told a congressional committee that he never used performance-enhancing drugs.

Well, duh.

On the integrity meter, how do you measure up? When is it ok to tell a little white lie, or even a big one, and when do you need to just fess up? If you were convicted of something, do you put it on the application? Or do you leave it blank and hope to God that HR doesn’t notice? Or…do you lie? As Roger belatedly discovered, those little white lies can come back to haunt you.  It’s definitely a gamble.

How convictions are dealt with varies from company to company. Obviously, if you are seeking a job operating heavy equipment, a DUI in your work history is not going to be considered a good thing. However, in a high tech environment, it’s not really relevant. Some HR people might take issue with it, others will let it slide. It is hard to know.

Personally, I think honesty is the best policy.  But I recognize that desperate times occasionally call for desperate measures. If you fall into the category of “I had a questionable conviction” in the past, you should know which of the companies you are applying for require background checks. Most do these days. If they do, definitely opt for honesty; explain the situation that led to the conviction, and proactively do your damndest to convince that HR person that it is in no way relevant to the job you need them to hire you to perform.

Do what makes the most sense for you, as long as it allows you to sleep at night and earn a paycheck at the same time.

tracy c

Going Postal...

How America Went Postal, Documentary

Traci A. thought I should do a post on this. Probably because it was too depressing for her but too juicy to ignore. 

It is worth noting that the term “going postal” has become a verb. Why do people do it? Go nuts in the workplace, hurting colleagues, sometimes people they never even interacted with? Because they are pushed to the brink.

You get it, I know you do, even if you don’t want to. It’s like all those people living in homeless camps next to the river. You are probably only 3 paychecks away from that, so…empathize. Not that I am comparing the two. Just saying, we are all just that close to the edge. What are the warning signs?

Well, when it’s about someone else…I’d say, trust your gut. Do what you can to raise the flag. Get the person some help. Do whatever you can. Talk to your union rep, your HR person, your manager or maybe your manager’s manager. Better to be slightly paranoid than sorry.

What if it’s you? Are you starting to fantasize about throwing things out the window? Worse? Living in Barbados? That’s when you know it’s time to pick up a copy of “Who Moved My Cheese” and realize it’s time to find a different environment.

Don’t be that guy.

tracy c.

Crushn' at Work

We’ve been talking a lot about at “at work crushes” (AWC), mainly how this recession is disproportionately affecting the “hotty” population. 

Let me clarify what I mean by an “AWC “.

1. You are not going to sleep with them for whatever reason
2. The crush usually passes, without anyone being the wiser
3. They aren’t a big deal, just something to pass the time
4. If you are married, attached, dating  - it’s still ok because of rule #1

Can they have a positive effect on the workplace?  YES! It encourages people to come into the office, look professional, do their best work and not make an ass out of themselves!

I love having an “AWC”; work isn’t as fun without one.  You get to giggle with your friends, get nervous, create play lists that reminds you of them, call their home, stalk them, get fired, well you get the idea.

Now it’s your turn, Do you have an “AWC”?

Share. . .  

Happy V-Day.  Kari Girarde

Up in the air: Who should do the firing?

_{Map of Switzerland courtesy: http://www.sitesatlas.com/Maps/Maps/527.gif}

In the unfortunate event that a decision is made by a company to part ways with an employee, a common question arises: Who should tell the employee their services are no longer wanted? This practice varies – a lot – from company to company, based on the philosophy of the leadership and the most senior HR person.

IMHO, managers should do the dirty work themselves. Ideally, the HR role is that of an advisor and coach to the manager, and a point of escalation for the employee.  If the employee has no internal person to turn to with questions or concerns, inevitably, they’ll turn to an external resource, which costs everyone valuable time and often, money.

Most managers need HR’s guidance to ensure emotions are kept in check, and that terminated employees are allowed to exit the company with dignity (after all, you never know when this former employee could become a client or a source of employee referrals or, gasp, lawsuits). 

Too many HR people fall into the bad cop trap, and that is a waste. It leaves the employee no one to turn to internally, and creates a rift between employees and company leadership. HR must be the bridge. HR should be an 11 letter word: Switzerland.

What do you think?

tracy c