And so does negativity in the workplace.

I didn’t get much sleep last night. Not looking for empathy, really. It simply explains the reason why I was little cranky today.

I’m actually pretty good at fighting off negativity unless I allow it to get to me. I've built a tolerance level that stays within the 80/20 rule and keep a stash of chocolate for the 20.

But my mood got me thinking about negative behavior and toxicity in the workplace. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, this one says it all. Perfectly illustrating how dangerous negative behavior can be and painful if those knives are heading in your direction.

Fortunately, most adults are emotionally intelligent enough to control and redirect a bad mood to maintain a professional, respectful demeanor toward peers, customers, friends and family. And then there are those that aren’t.

Who are the offenders?

The unpredictable, whose outbursts can wreak instant havoc; the manager that lashes out against an employee in front of the entire team; the customer that berates the unlucky recipient of their extreme complaint. The quiet manipulators, verbal abusers, tactless complainers and otherwise known viruses that can spread like wildfire unless properly contained. Unfortunately workplaces aren’t equipped with trained experts from the CDC that stand by in a HAZMAT to detoxify these situations.

It's that time of year and time is flying by.

To help me feel a little better about not posting an entry for a while, I thought I'd include a brief write up as to why:

First, we've been heavily immersed in the implementation of the PotentialPoint™ platform for our newest client (to be announced). Preparing for lift off!

I've been working on updates to the Vocii web site and trying not to blow it up. but still have some bugs to fix. I've added some great services including brand workshops and social media training plus, there are some great blog topics that have presented themselves over the past few weeks. Hope to get to those soon.

Finally, my daughter's last few days of high school are upon us and we've been busily planning for prom, accepting the fact that there's a boy involved, along with graduation, party planning, college registration visits, tuition, housing. OH MY!

Think I'll start a blog for empty nesters...

So there you have it. Just saying hello and letting you know what's cooking. My apologies for not blogging much lately and missing great conversations on Twitter. Was thankful to have had some quality time with @JKHR during this mad rush. If you're not following him, I hope you will. He's a wonderful person, an HR expert and someone I'm grateful to have met in real life.

One last thing... I gotta put this out there

Consider it food for thought: Every time you think, speak and act, you represent your brand whether it's personal or on behalf of your company. Your behaviors, especially the way you treat people in any situation, good or bad, impacts the perception others have toward you.

So always remember and never forget: Be good to each other. Life's just too darn short.

Until next time...

~Charee

In today’s world of endless choices, especially in the mobile industry, customer experience reigns supreme. Having a strong brand is vital to improving sales, increasing customer loyalty, even improving overall business performance.  To survive in a fiercely competitive landscape, companies must consistently create value by strengthening their brand in every area of their business. For U.S. Cellular, the nation’s sixth-largest wireless provider, this included improving the human experience – one of the most important elements of their brand.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Russ Nykaza, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at U.S. Cellular to learn more about their brand strategy. As he shared their story, what impressed me most, was his patience, candor and genuine conviction to create unity within the company while consistently improving the experiences people have with U.S. Cellular inside and out.

Russ is a leader that clearly understands branding is a journey and is not without its challenges. He demonstrates however, that with a well-defined strategy, an emphasis on relationship building, two-way communication and consistency between actions and words, success can be achieved.

Our partners at Brand Integrity, Inc. created this simple video to help illustrate what on brand behavior is and how the Potential Point^™ Employee Engagement solution can improve customer experiences in your organization.*

Are your customers experiencing red when you promise blue?

How many of your employees are red? With the right recognition and education, employees will understand how their behavior and performance links to values and business strategy. Learn more by viewing our brief demo then give us a shout to discuss your unique challenges. And thank you for allowing us the opportunity to share this educational video.

* This is a promotional post written in strategic partnership with, Brand Integrity, Inc., creators of the Potential Point™ solution. The video, content, trademarks and/or patents, pending or otherwise, are under the protection of their respective owners.

Admit it. It doesn't matter if you're celebrating a small win or a monumental victory, there's nothing like the feeling of a solid high five.

The power of the high five.

This simple yet exuberant human touch point sets off a chain reaction in our brains. An adrenaline rush fueled by pride, a sense of accomplishment and winning attitude.  These powerful emotions can create lasting memories of what success feels like not to mention the ability to strengthen the bond of any team.  Plus, it's addicting!  The high five almost always leaves us wanting more.  It can be just enough to trigger the internal drive needed to continue behaving and performing in ways that will lead to the next big win. 

I know, I know, times are tough for teams today. The pressure to perform with fewer members, resources and incentives is leaving contributors feeling beaten down and unappreciated. The spirit of teamwork is at risk! This is where simple acts can make a big difference...

Take a stand. REVIVE THE FIVE!

Tomorrow, April 15, is National High Five Day. I know, it's also tax day but don't let that stop you!
 

These are the just three messages that embody the culture at Intuit^®.

 You could say they are the subtitles of their story – one told by employees, captured by Human Resources and consistently shared internally and externally to hire, retain and engage the very people who push their business forward. It’s a story (perhaps even a lesson) about the importance of culture, innovation, empowerment and bringing your whole self to work every day. 

Melissa Rutledge, the Employer Brand Manager on Intuit’s Right Talent Team helped re-write that story. 

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Melissa and can tell you she is one of the most positive, energetic and passionate brand managers I’ve ever met. Wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that she can be herself at work? Hmmm. Anyway, as two self-professed brand geeks we had a blast talking about their branding projects. When we last spoke we decided it was time to tell their story, why they rebranded during the recession and how it became so much more than a just brand campaign.

So I interviewed Melissa to help do just that. This is a recap of their journey. If you'd like full details of our conversation, I encourage you to download the PDF of the transcript (bottom of post) as Melissa shares details about the work they're doing in social media and much, much more!

These are the just three messages that embody the culture at Intuit^®.

 You could say they are the subtitles of their story – one told by employees, captured by Human Resources and consistently shared internally and externally to hire, retain and engage the very people who push their business forward. It’s a story (perhaps even a lesson) about the importance of culture, innovation, empowerment and bringing your whole self to work every day. 

Melissa Rutledge, the Employer Brand Manager on Intuit’s Right Talent Team helped re-write that story. 

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Melissa and can tell you she is one of the most positive, energetic and passionate brand managers I’ve ever met. Wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that she can be herself at work? Hmmm. Anyway, as two self-professed brand geeks we had a blast talking about their branding projects. When we last spoke we decided it was time to tell their story, why they rebranded during the recession and how it became so much more than a just brand campaign.

So I interviewed Melissa to help do just that. This is a recap of their journey. If you'd like full details of our conversation, I encourage you to download the PDF of the transcript (bottom of post) as Melissa shares details about the work they're doing in social media and much, much more!

You should be.

Last night, CBS premiered an innovative and fresh reality series designed to raise awareness of CEO's who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves, dive into the trenches and learn the truths of their businesses from the bottom up.

For quite some time now the employer/employee relationships have been deteriorating. But there are bright spots that have emerged from this dark recession. Employee engagement is starting to look different and leaders are beginning to understand that it's no longer a warm and fuzzy, it's an absolute necessity to catapult their business and drive results.

The reasons are obvious. Progressive leaders recognize that an engaged workforce leads to an engaged customer and that leads to increased profits and better business results.

The question is where to start and how to identify the drivers of employee engagement.    

A new approach to employee engagement

Rather than devising employee engagement surveys that measure attitudes and opinions about the company, how about developing questions that reveal what sort of people thrive in your organization and what motivates them?

Two CEO's that are changing their game.

Call them epiphanies, minds opening up or just trends in leadership. Regardless of what's in the air, I for one am enjoying the "fresh air" that's beginning to seep from corner offices recently. And by fresh air, I mean, the waves of interviews and articles highlighting leaders that are moving from command and control to listening to their employees and customers.

While I don't think we can't say "gone are the days" of top-down organizational structures just yet; there's definitely a shift taking place; one that will inevitably take time but also brings promise of innovation during an era when change is needed most. While there are several CEO's making change happen, I decided to focus on two superstars today:

CEO #1: Cristóbal Conde of SunGard

This interview got my attention for many reasons but primarily due to Conde's use of social tools, understanding the importance of employee recognition and above all tapping into the hearts minds of his employees to gain valuable feedback.

In his New York Time interview, "Structure? The Flatter, the Better",  Mr. Conde touches on several ways he's changing his approach as a CEO from command and control to collaboration and teamwork and points out that:

"Collaboration is one of the most difficult challenges in management…top-down organizations got started because the bosses either knew more or they had access to more information. None of that applies now. Everybody has access to identical amounts of information."