By Mary Ann Faremouth, CPC
With the Memorial Day holiday upon us, we honor those who have fallen in battle fighting for our country and we look forward to the beginning of summer and a long 3-day weekend. While the holiday may have ancient roots, the holiday’s founder is said to have had a long and distinguished career. According to Barbara Maranzani, who writes for the History Vault website (https://www.historyvault.com/), “In May 1868, General John A. Logan, the commander-in-chief of the Union veterans’ group known as the Grand Army of the Republic, issued a decree that May 30 should become a national day of commemoration for the more than 629,000 soldiers killed in the recently ended Civil War. And as the legend has it, Logan chose May 30 because it was a rare day that didn’t fall on the anniversary of a Civil War battle, though some historians believe the date was selected to ensure that flowers across the country would be in full bloom.”
As a Recruiter, I have been hearing from both candidates and employers these days that, in this New Work World we all have to be soldiers of change, ready to support our friends and teams into new areas of development. We have to be ready to have our personal and professional lives bloom and take root after the recent setbacks of the last two years.
Here are some ideas inspired by this important holiday that we can all use to move forward in the New Work World.
1. Rethinking Our Strategies In Order to Be Victorious
With the words “Great Resignation” blaring every place we look these days, how can we reexamine our own personal and professional strategies to make sure our “wins” are in alignment with who we are or have become? If we are trying to hire that “perfect” candidate because of employees leaving in our company, can we stop and consider; do we really need all of those exact job responsibilities on the job order? The last two years have been unlike any that have come before us, and with that in mind, can we possibly reconsider how we might compromise in some areas of a job or listing, without compromising on finding a qualified candidate? How can you rethink your hiring strategies to get the very best person, even in the midst of this current talent shortage?
2. Developing a New Communication Style to Avoid A Battlefield Mentality
If we are feeling stagnant and stuck in our current role within a company or business, how can we develop a new style of communicating with our supervisor or team members that might break through the blockage? How could you investigate and expand new methods for implementing new ideas for the growth of the company? Innovative and creative ideas for growth will in most cases, spark your own career growth as well. Wouldn’t this serve you better than the “battlefield” of complaining about all the things that are wrong with the job and the company as well? Presenting ideas that reflect our willingness to assist with growth is always well received if our method of presenting the information is accurate, humble and presents a “win-win” for all involved.
3. Reflecting on the Human Element in The New Work World
Most all folks in the workplace have had to endure some type of battle over the last two years. Maybe you have been working remotely but have also had to work homeschooling your children, or maybe your job was downsized in your company because of waning profits. We are all trying to win the war of change in the New Work World. With the growing role of technology/algorithms and the digital world, how can we let the blooms of our own unique personalities play a more positive role going forward? How can we remember that first and foremost we are all human and offer one another the respect, gratitude and consideration that all people respond positively to, while still meeting our professional goals?
This Memorial Day as you plan your much needed three day weekend, make sure you reflect on General John Logan’s solid career and what he passed down to us. Take an active part in rethinking your strategies, developing a new communication style and reflecting on the Human Element both employers and employees possess. We maybe can’t promise you a Rose Garden going forward, but we can truly enjoy the blooms of a colorful future in the New Work World!
Mary Ann Faremouth
Mary Ann holds a CPC (Certified Personnel Consultant) credential, was certified by the Board of Regents of the National Association of Personnel Consultants in Washington, D.C., and was awarded an Advanced Communicator Bronze, Advanced Leader Bronze Awards by Toastmasters. She cofounded Jobs: Houston magazine in 1997. Mary Ann maintains affiliations with professional organizations, including oil and gas, financial, construction, IT, and structural, mechanical, and civil engineering. (www.faremouth.com)
Mary Ann’s award-winning first book Revolutionary Recruiting has been listed by Book Authority as Number #1 Best 100 Recruiting Books; #1 Best Seller, Non-Fiction, Amazon (2019); Top 20 Recruiting books, Recruitics; Readers’ Choice finalist (2019), Houston Literary Awards; Best Non-Fiction (2018), Best Cover (2019), and Best Self-Help (2018), Authors Marketing Guild. Her books support individuals and corporations, tap into each candidate’s unrealized potential to find the right person for each job, maximizing both employee satisfaction and the employer’s bottom line. Mary Ann showcases her expertise of the recruiting world on a monthly podcast for The Price of Business and weekly articles for USA Business. Her new workbook, Revolutionary Reinvention, was recently released on Amazon. Mary Ann lives in Houston, Texas.
