Online Image

BY SHANE HOMAN

The image that you present on Facebook or LinkedIn is your public face, and will be available to anyone and everyone that has access to the Internet. Your parents, your children, your neighbors and your fellow workers are your audience. In many ways you are displaying your own personal brand.

There are hundreds of social networking websites available to us now, from the Advogato site used by open source software developers to Zoo.gr, a Greek web meeting point. Many of us will belong to two or more of these sites and interact with other site members regularly. It is now very common for someone you have just met, or the HR manager at a company where you have just applied, to Google your name and follow the links to your various networking sites.

Think Before You Post
The pleasure we get from participating in a social network can sometimes cause us to let our guard down in the interest of having a little fun. All your Facebook Friends loved the pictures that you posted from your daughter’s birthday party. Why not post those pictures from the backyard barbeque with Uncle Jim standing on his head trying to drink a beer? The enjoyment we get from on-line Social Networking is resulting in the occasional miss in the area of how we portray ourselves to the general public.

As the website of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada asks, “What Would You Want a Friend of a Friend of a Friend to Know about You?” In the case of Facebook, it is very important to properly adjust your security settings. While you may have been careful with the pictures or video you have posted, it is easy to follow Friends of Friends and view any of their content that has been tagged with your name. Facebook continues to modify it’s security capabilities, visit your Privacy Settings and adjust them accordingly.

Consistency
It is also important to portray yourself in a consistent manner across your many social networking sites. Despite the fact that Facebook is a casual, family and friends network site, and LinkedIn is a professional, business networking site, a single Google search will turn up links to both. A ‘wild party’ image portrayed on Facebook will clash with the ‘focused business professional’ image that your colleagues or future employer will see on LinkedIn.

Be careful of who you accept into your social network, particularly LinkedIn. It is now becoming common for a hiring manager to contact one or more of your LinkedIn connections for a character reference. Make sure your connections are people you are proud to know, and who think well of you.

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

Transition from Consultant to Full Time Employee (Part 3)

BY SHANE HOMAN

The transition from consultant to full time employment is a very positive step in your career. My previous blogs on this topic talked about some of the basic points to take into account, and the necessity for clarity around your employment offer.

Contrary to what you learned in grade school, what’s yours is NOT mine.
As a consultant you will have become used to some significant monthly expenses, such as office supplies, entertainment, gasoline or corporate lunches. Depending on what your new employer allows you, much of this will stop – certainly your home office supplies expense. Stock up on paper supplies and other office consumables before you assume your full-time position. And DON’T, under any circumstances, take home a supply of pens or printer paper from your new employer! This is frowned upon as being A Very Bad Thing.

Take Advantage of Being Employed
Enjoy the employee’s life, and take full advantage of everything that the company offers. I’m not referring to just the educational opportunities, I talking about the social get-togethers and moral-building activities companies will typically sponsor. There is a very real camaraderie that can be built with fellow employees that takes a ‘job’ and turns it into a ‘career’. You will be spending 40 + hours a week in the company of your fellow employees, invest the time and energy to make those hours as enjoyable as possible!

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

Transition from Consultant to Full Time Employee (Part 2)

BY SHANE HOMAN

The transition from consultant to full time employment provides you with a number of benefits you didn’t get as a consultant, not the least of which is a regular paycheck. My previous blog talked about some of the basic points to take into account when leaving the contract world and joining a firm as a full-time employee. Here is another important point to consider…

Clarity around the Employment Offer
Spend a few dollars and seek out some legal advice from a lawyer that specializes in employment and corporate law. This is not necessarily about taking the Offer of Employment letter to the lawyer, although you could. It’s more about learning what your rights are, and what the employer’s rights are, so that the employment agreement that you both sign is clear and thoroughly understood by both sides. The goal – as always - is win/win, and clarity will be to the benefit of BOTH parties.

Getting legal advice is often an afterthought, and with the friendly atmosphere that often surrounds the offer and acceptance of full time employment it is a concept that is rejected as unnecessary. Here’s an example of how legal advice benefit’s both parties: A long-term contractor assumed fulltime employment with a local firm and remained on-staff for a number of years. As time went by the technical base of the company changed, and a business decision was made – without anger or prejudice on either side - to let the employee/former contractor go. Had that individual stated explicitly in her Letter of Employment that the years spent under contract with the firm (or a portion of those years) would be considered as part of any termination package, the compensation and exit process would have been fast and clean.

Attempting to play catch-up afterwards DOES involve lawyers, and time, and money. And, very importantly, the friendly relationships on both sides are strained. A clearly defined entitlement on termination of employment, visible and agreed upon right at the beginning, makes all of this go away.

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

Leadership – Why Ask Questions?

BY LIZA WORTHINGTON
What makes a good leader? A good leader possesses the ability to create a vision and the drive to realize that vision. But how do you achieve that vision when there are so many variables to consider in the business environment (i.e. risks, stakeholders, new technologies, regulatory requirements, social and economical trends, etc.)?

Influential leaders are skillful at asking questions to gather information about the business environment and to make decisions. Executive coach Gary Cohen identifies four questioning styles through role-playing i.e. depending on the situation, a leader may choose to play one of the following roles:

1) “Professor” as a means to understand a situation e.g. “what are your goals?” “What are some options?”
2) “Judge” as a means to analyze options e.g. “what is the biggest risk?” “What is the greatest possible success?”
3) “Innovator” as a means to explore new directions e.g. “what would you do if time and resources are unlimited?” “What does your gut tell you to do?”
4) “Director” as a means to assess how to proceed and take action e.g. “what needs to happen?” “When is this due?”

In a similar manner, a leader could also apply the deBono six thinking hats approach as a means to formulate questions. This involves mentally wearing and switching “hats” as you focus on a problem, consider options, and make decisions:

1) Wear the white hat to identify facts e.g. “by how much did revenue fall this year?” and “what was last year’s sales mix?”
2) Wear the yellow hat to identify positives e.g. “what are the benefits of this option?”
3) Wear the black hat for judgment e.g. “what will go wrong if the company implements this option?”
4) Wear the red hat to assess emotions e.g. “how do you feel about this option?” or “how will our customers react?”
5) Wear the green hat to encourage creativity e.g. “how can we do this differently?”
6) Wear the blue hat to manage the thinking process e.g. “how can we do this better?”

(http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php)

What are your experiences with leading through questioning? Is this an effective way to lead? What are the setbacks of asking too many questions?

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

Featured Author: Liza Worthington

BIOGRAPHY

Liza Worthington is a Certified Management Accountant professional with experience in public, private, and not-for-profit organizations. She specializes in strategic management and planning, facilitating, teaching, leadership coaching, management accounting, and process improvement.

Liza holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Calgary and she received her CMA designation from the Society of Management Accountants in 1997. She is an accounting instructor at Mount Royal University. She also moderates the Strategic Leadership Program and teaches the Accelerated Program for Internationally Educated Professionals with CMA Alberta.

Liza has led accounting and process improvement initiatives at TransAlta Utilities, Amoco Canada, and Margo Supplies (a wildlife control company). She is an active community volunteer. She is currently a Volunteer Management Consultant for CentrePoint and has contributed to projects by facilitating strategic planning sessions, and researching and assessing client’s business environment. Her clients include the Students Association Mount Royal University, Calgary John Howard Society, Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association, Churchill Park Family Care Society, and The Kerby Centre.

She is also an active board and committee member. Liza is a board member with Servants Anonymous Society of Calgary. She is also a member of the Planning Subcommittee with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary.

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

The Art of Accommodation – Balancing the needs of businesses and individuals (Part 1 of 3)

BY PETER CHUNG

Balancing the need of businesses and individuals. This was an interesting topic that I was asked to participate in at a recent conference that I spoke at.

Businesses need three pillars to function: People, Finance and Technology (including processes and due diligence). To maximize the values of all three would deliver the desired results and outcomes. This means overall strategy plans, and action steps, check points and corrections, and expectations and outcomes. When all three are in harmony, results will come.

Accommodation means adjustments. This really means that when an organization can define its capabilities based on the three pillars, adjustment to any component is simply a task with the overall goals in mind. Organizational capabilities really mean managing resources appropriately: maximizing the skill sets of your people using technology and the available finances to deliver results and outcomes.

Accommodating someone also means reallocating resources in production of the results, if the person has the capabilities. On the other hand, there would be opportunities in which the organization capitalizing other unused skill set in the production process. This will show case to others the organizational commitment on people.

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

Featured Author: Peter Chung

BIOGRAPHY

Peter Chung is the founding Director at Gemini HR Services Inc., a strategic, results-focused and action oriented Human Resources firm with experience in recruitment and selection, total compensation and rewards, benefits, employee and labour relations, succession planning, organization design and HR Information Systems. Additional areas of focus include international HR assignments, restructuring and Health & Safety.

His extensive background and expertise enable him to devise strong engagement and retention strategies while streamlining existing processes and delivering results in key areas to maximize efficiencies and enact the corporate vision.

Peter graduated with a B.Com. degree from the University of Calgary and received the Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) designation. He is certified as an Instructor for delivering Team Tools and Modules related to High Performance Organizations. He also received advanced training in Organizational Development and Human Resources.

Peter served as President for a number of professional associations (Canadian Council of Human Resources Association, Human Resources Institute of Alberta, and Human Resources Management Association of Edmonton) and is currently Director of the Board of Champions Career Centre and a Senior Contributor to the HR blog Catalyst Solutions Group.

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

Proactive Accommodation: A Series

BY NICOLE JELLEY

What is proactive accommodation?

When one does the infamous Google search, the first few results appear as follows:

It is not to say that sites offering skincare products and computer software services are not practical, however the search leaves the meaning of "proactive accommodation" rather ambiguous to the average knowledge seeker. So where does this leave one?

According to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary:

pro·ac·tive / proh-ak-tiv / adj. (of a person, policy, etc.) creating or controlling a situation by taking the initiative

In essence, to be proactive means to show initiative. Proactive accommodation therefore means to show initiative in helping others to adapt. Simple words that have a great impact when implemented in real life situations, particularly in the workplace. Sound easy enough? It can be.

The problem we face today is the lack of proactive accomodation that exist in many companies. Thousands, even millions, of dollars have been lost in the past because many employers do not see the true value in preventing the problems before they happen. The initial costs of "installing this" and "safety-checking that" may seem to weigh heavy in costs at the beginning, but when this may mean decrease worker burnout, workplace injuries, lawsuits, as well as the risk of company-wide embarrassment. Thus, it is no secret that the mentality and successful integration of being ready before the storm hits will easily reap its own rewards.

This series of blogs will further explore the implications of proactive accommodation and how it plays a crucial relationship with an employer's duty to accommodate in the workforce. We will take a look at the leaders in proactive accommodation through real-life case studies on companies that have had successes in this area, as well as the different strategies that are out there. At the end, perhaps you will be able to measure how healthy your company's duty to accommodate policy is, and what solutions may be available. Solutions that, unlike your ritualistic morning venti cappuccino, will pay for themselves. What's not to like?

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

Featured Author: Nicole Jelley

BIOGRAPHY


Nicole Jelley, PHR, is a multi-lingual senior Human Resources and Operations executive with extensive experience in international and domestic markets. She is proficient in employment legislation and practices in North and Latin America, thereby bringing a strategic perspective to HR initiatives in the retail, manufacturing and consulting industries. She enables the delivery of bottom line results and overcomes complex business challenges within fast-paced environments and rapidly growing companies. Her focus has been on leading revenue-focused and profit-improvement strategies adding value to senior leadership goals.

She holds an LLB degree in Commercial Law from the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, and earned her PHR designation from the Society of Human Resources Management in 2005. She is a Certified Mediator having completed the Alternative Dispute resolution/Mediation Certificate from the Texas Women’s University in 2004, a Credentialed Mediator in the State of Texas, a member of the Alberta and USA Human Resources Associations and the American Bar Association (ADR section). She is a Mentor at the Haskayne School of Business supporting MBA students and at SAIT for their LAUNCH program.

Nicole Jelley is the Director of Catalyst Solutions Group Corporation and is currently engaged in an Organization Re-Design project on behalf of the National Energy Board and the OCM Lead at WorleyParsons Canada.

She is also the President of the Board of Directors of Champions Career Centre as well as Interim Chair of the Board of Servants Anonymous Society of Calgary and the Chair of the Fireworks Committee. The Committee provides governance and oversight to two social enterprise businesses that provide career training opportunities and funding to SAS programs.

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

Transition from Consultant to Full Time Employee: Part 1 of a 3 Part Series

BY SHANE HOMAN

The transition from consultant to full time employment is often easy, particularly if you are hired by the company that you are consulting to. Despite the ease of transition, there are a number of points that you must take into account:

Heed the Health Bug
As a consultant, you have your own health insurance coverage and likely a disability plan of some type in place. Your new employer will provide you with health benefits coverage, and you can save a little money by terminating your own. Give a little extra thought before terminating your disability insurance, however. This is often age and health based, and if your new job lasts only long enough for your health to change or for you to reach a milestone birthday, you may be looking at a significant increase in costs to buy back in.

Invest in a Backup Plan
In addition, you must have a 2 or 3 month contingency fund set aside for easy access to cash, just in case there is a gap in the contract work. Do NOT rush out to spend this contingency money as soon as you start your new job.

“Sixty-four percent of people intend to cut indulgent spending this year according to a new survey by HSBC Bank USA […] This month, half of consumers plan to cut down on non-essential spending like eating out, going to the movies and remodeling, according to the report.” [Haley, CNN]

Invest it for a while, possibly a few months, to ensure your new employment is what you had in mind.

Closing Your Company
Likewise, hold on to your incorporated or limited company for a few months, or longer if there is a possibility for after-hours work elsewhere. You WILL need to inform the Federal tax people that you will no longer make your quarterly tax installments, as well as close your various GST / PST accounts, business registration etc. About.com provides a useful checklist to help you with closing down your Canadian company here.

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

Featured Author: Shane Homan

BIOGRAPHY

Shane Homan is a senior Information Technology executive with extensive experience in software development and IT management. He has a demonstrated ability to staff and motivate an effective and focused Application Development and Support Environment within an IT department. He is an accomplished leader who creates an environment of trust and collaboration, which allows him to motivate his teams to deliver excellent results. His focus has been on liaising with senior business leadership in providing technical expertise to both long-term strategic planning initiatives and immediate return on investment goals.

He has 24 years of experience in IT, from software development, systems analysis and project management to process design and implementation. His most recent position was Associate Vice President and IT Business Partner, a senior IT role that was specifically architected to provide Thought Leadership, as a Trusted Partner, to the senior business management group. He has a significant retail background, as well as experience in vendor relations and working with managed service providers.

Shane enjoys public speaking and is active with Toastmasters International, currently holding the position of Vice-President Education in his local chapter. His proven ability to present and explain technical concepts to a non-technical audience enables him to bridge the technology gap between IT and business representatives. A talented writer, he has published articles on the topics of Etiquette in Social Media, and Online Image in Social Networking.

© Copyright (c) Catalyst Solutions Group. All rights reserved.

The Anti-Productivity Bug: Social Networking in the Workplace? Survey Reports

Social media sites have rapidly grown to be one of the most frequently visited websites in the workplace. In May of 2010, Right Management conducted a recent survey with over 1,000 North American employees concerning their use of social networking sites during work hours.

50 percent of the organizations reported blocking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, while some have embraced social networking sites as a business strategy. These sites are being used by organizations to reach out to clients, employees, potential customers, and job seekers.

18 percent of respondents admitted overall that social networking on the job often interferes with their productivity, while 41 percent said that it only has an effect sometimes.

The survey also found some interesting statistics comparing the following criteria:

Company Size: 51% of workers at an organization with 10,000 or more employees responded that it social media seldom interferes, compared to 41% at smaller organizations.

Department: 62% of IT professionals said it seldom interferes, compared to 30% of sales professionals who reported that it often interferes.

Age: 47% of workers aged 35-44 said that it seldom interferes, compared to 35% of those 18-24.

“Managers should embrace new technologies to communicate more effectively with employees and keep them engaged and informed,” suggests Melvin Scales, Senior Vice President of Global Solutions at Right Management. “Forward looking companies use social networking to build loyalty, share ideas and experiences, and increase collaboration. By nature, we are social creatures and these tools can foster brainstorming, teamwork and innovation. Organizations that resist are probably in a losing battle.”

Source: Right Management

Overall, it is inevitable that companies need to be aware of the growing presence of social media sites. This may begin with the structuring of formal social networking policies. However, these policies also need to be careful not to make workers feel completely isolated from their normal social web of family, friends, and acquaintances. These same mediums can also help to boost employee morale, an aspect that may actually help to increase productivity. The question is, how does one accomplish this balancing act? Share your own experiences and opinions here.

5 Simple Steps to Being Catalyst

1) What is Catalyst Solutions Group?

At Catalyst Solutions Group, we strive to bring to you a different perspective to understanding the area of Human Resources. We are people powered, fueled by the questions and issues in an industry that works to build lasting, professional relationships. We are a forum for questions, a place for discovery, and a resource that will work to lead you to the right answers.

2) Who was the brains behind it?

Nicole Jelley, LLB, PHR, is the driving force behind Catalyst. Nicole has an extensive Human Resources Generalist background, with regional, national, and international experience as a Global HR and Operations executive in the areas of retail operations, manufacturing, and consulting.

Currently, Nicole is the Board Director and Chair of The Fireworks Cooperative Committee at Servants Anonymous Society of Calgary, Member to the Advisory Council of LAUNCH at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Principal at The Osborne Group, Vice-President & Chair of the Fund Development & Social Issues Committees at Champions Career Centre, and is working as an Organizational Re-design Consultant at National Energy Board of Canada. Nicole is also a mentor for MBA students for the Haskayne School of Business Enbridge Mentorship Program.

To view Nicole's full profile, and connect with her, please visit: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/nicolejelley

3) When was it formed?

Catalyst Solutions Group was formed in May of 2010.

4) What is your mission statement?

Our mission is to build an online community where Human Resource professionals from every part of the country can come together and communicate. We strive to create an environment that will help to define, modify, and transform the way that people view their roles and responsibilities as being part of the greater Human Resource community.

5) How can you contact us?

Any questions or inquiries can be directed to catalystsolutionsgroup@gmail.com

Why Social Media?

Social media has grown to be an inevitable part of our daily lives. Websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Blogger are recognized as common mediums that people use to communicate on an everyday basis. Steadily, they have set the standards for instant communication online with features for rapid photo display, video sharing, and everything else imaginable under the domain of the Internet.

With such an abundance of social media sites, it is important to stay informed of the devices currently out there. What do they do, and what does it mean when we are exposed to a whole new realm of efficiency and speed when receiving responses to questions in business and everyday life?

At Catalyst Solutions Group, we see the growing need of the existence of a social network where Human Resource students and industry professionals alike can come together to share the latest news, ideas, and thoughts about everything and anything under the sun of HR. An interactive community that nourishes creativity and encourages questions. We strive to help you better understand your role as members in this large social network, full of human capacity and potential. Will you care to join us on this adventure?