On What's Important

Once in a while we all need a reminder of what is truly important in our lives.  COVID-19 and related impacts have helped me - and I hope have helped many - to understand and appreciate our humanity, the need to stay in touch with the reality and challenges facing others, and how we can and should stop and smell the roses not just on occasion but as frequently as we can.

Since the beginning the middle of March of this year a lot of things have changed and been called into question.  I have been provided with more than one reminder of the toll taken on myself and on others as we have tried to navigate very challenging times.  A small sample of the challenges include:

• How do we make choices with imperfect information and imperfect solutions to continue to advance the educational and social development of our school-age children?
• How can we successfully juggle or maintain some semblance of balance in our lives as we socially isolate, work from home, and sustain a distinction between work and home?
• How do we reman connected with our loved ones who may have health and financial challenges of their own?
• How do we stay connected, period?

The challenges of these times have been brought home for me in many different and powerful ways.  A client of mine who is trying to help a loved one navigate a terminal cancer diagnosis that is now measured in weeks of life left at most.  The recent passing of a mentor of mine. The suicide of two of my fellow travellers within the past couple of months and days apart from each other.  A reminder from a colleague of mine in the banking sector that others continue to struggle and fear for what comes next when loan deferments and nest eggs are potentially exhausted in the next several months.  Others left wondering what happens to their career choices or options that they have been working towards for the past number of years.  

For me, this all points to having compassion and grace for ourselves and each other as we navigate some of the most challenging times we are likely ever to face.  It is also a reminder that we still have the choice to be present in much stronger ways than ever before.  And it reminds me that we have choice to show up differently in big and small ways if we remain present to opportunity.  

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

Gandhi

At this point, I am reminded of a turn in life that happened for my wife and I over two years ago.  Despite the passage of time, I believe it is important to remind myself of that reality and I hope it will also illustrate my points on compassion grace and the importance of presence to self and others.

In January 2018, my wife and I set out to complete a personal challenge.  The anticipated conclusion to that effort was supposed to read something like we came, we ran, we finished  The direction the journey took, however, was markedly different than planned.  Aside from the typical things we might have expected from this marathon+ adventure (e.g., cold weather, thousands of people crowding a course, falls, cuts and bruises) the journey to and through the Dopey Challenge reinforced the critical importance of knowing and living to one's values and priorities.  

Our adjusted adventure began early on our flight from Toronto to Orlando.  Within the first 30 minute a medical emergency was announced by the frantic calls of the wife of a stricken passenger.  My wife, aside from being a coach/consultant, jumped into care mode as the registered nurse that she remains. Working in partnership with a couple of other nurses she proceeded to work under less than ideal circumstances to support and maintain the distressed male passenger.  This went on for at least 2 hours.  At the same time I had the opportunity to take care of - or entertain - the couple's 5-year old daughter.  I quickly learned that the family of three was on their way to experience their first trip to Disney World.

Not quite the start envisioned for a memory-making vacation. 

Upon arriving in Orlando, my wife engaged with emergency medical personnel on the ground to facilitate handover.  We offered assistance as well to the wife and daughter to get to the hospital or in providing other supports as they required.  What was interesting to me at this point was how, at the conclusion of the flight, the dynamic of support we had seen on the plane had changed.  Of the myriad of people who have been around the stricken passenger precious few now seemed prepared to extend their efforts and compassion beyond the arrivals lounge.  To my cynical and jaded eyes it appeared that not many were prepared to sacrifice even a small part of their vacations for a stranger they had just met no matter how compelling the story.  

"The future depends on what you do today."

Gandhi

We made an effort to remain in touch with the family in the next 24 hours.  We had made plans to visit various theme parks in and around our races and offered to act as chaperone to the 5-year old girl.  Having young children of our own we felt comfortable in the belief that we would have been in our element.  The offer was acknowledged but not taken up immediately.  No surprise.  We were, after all, strangers to the family and updates at the time indicated that the father might be discharged from the hospital within a couple of days. 

Within less than 48 hours of arrival, however, things took a turn for the worse.  We had completed our first Disney run of 5k early on Thursday and had been visiting Universal Studios when we got a text around mid day to see if we could in fact take care of the 5-year old daughter.  The father had been admitted to ICU and was struggling.  We didn't hesitate.  For the rest of the day we proceeded to entertain, as best we could, our new found charge.  We were overwhelmed by the courtesy, manners, lightness of spirit and overall capacity emanating from this beautiful little girl.  In a very short period of time she won over our hearts.  

At this time we also started to have serious discussions about whether we would shelve the rest of our races to support the family as they dealt with this unexpected challenge.  Our conclusion - despite months of training and anticipation - was a resounding and unhesitating "YES".  Our values directed a rewrite of our priorities.  As the day progressed, however, we learned that other family support was arriving and we could expect to relinquish our "parental" duties that evening. 

Upon the arrival of this additional family support to our rental we learned from these family members that the father had in fact passed away.

We were left to say goodbye to our new found little friend, trying to hold our emotions in check, trying not to give away our dart secret, knowing that in a few short minutes that she would be seeing her mother and getting the news that her world had irrevocably and tragically been altered.  The experience was more than surreal.  Later than night, and in the days to come, both my wife and I found ourselves breaking down in tears, truly unable to come to terms with what had transpired.  Too often, I was brought back to the loss of my first wife in similar circumstances, left to raise a 6-year old daughter on my own. 

For the next few days we likely operated on autopilot.  We ran our races, followed our routine as best we could, but truly found ourselves feeling unfocused and off centre.  As we read Facebook posts from friends and family of the deceased we found ourselves lamenting this loss even more.  The father and husband seemed to have cut a wide and positive swath in the lives of others despite his relatively young age of 42.  His interests spanned many of my own including a love of astronomy.  He was a musician.  Some called him a renaissance man.

Why this long, convoluted story and what does any of this have to do with my opening remarks?  First, I believe this is a story that had to be told, and life that had to be remembered, if only to honor a fellow human being.  Second, I believe we must acknowledge the profound impact that can come to any of us who are prepared to be open and vulnerable to others.  This man clearly had impact on those around him - and not just his family.  In many respects he acted as a role model, cheerleader and even leader.  One saw all of this in the messages that followed his passing and memories that are still discussed to this day. 

I've always seen myself as highly goal-oriented and planful.  However, this experience and the events that I recounted that have happened in the heart of COVID, continue to teach me the power and necessity of being flexible.  They also remind of what I say my values are and how I believe I should live. Our values were put to the test through this experience and are continuing to be tested now.  I believe we choose wisely and in accordance with our values then and I hope we can live up to those same values through this latest test. By living to those values we opened up ourselves to the gifts we received from a 5-year old within a microscopic slice of time.  She and her mother helped reinforce the power and value of compassion and vulnerability. 

Words truly seem inadequate to convey this story and the evolving story we are all going through today.  I come back to the need to make sure you know your personal values and assess your actions - in a conscious way - against those values. 

Be prepared to be flexible, compassionate, and even vulnerable right now.  I have seen and felt the power of being in service to others.  Appreciate the impact you could have for others, but even more so the impact on you and who you can become from that courageous step. 

I continue to lament the loss of a friend I never got to make back in early 2018.  I lament the loss of those that have passed since and have been challenged by our current reality  I remain connected to a wife and daughter that I might never have known if we had not been prepared to be present and to show up with grace and compassion in light of the pain and suffering of others.

Sometimes its NOT just about leadership.  Sometimes its just about being human. 

"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."

Gandhi

_________________________________________________________

Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC

Executive Coach/Consultant

BreakPoint Solutions

gregh@breakpoint.solutions

780-250-2543

Helping leaders realize their strengths and enabling organizations to achieve their potential through the application of my leadership experience and coaching skills. I act as a point of leverage for my clients. I AM their Force Multiplier.

Not All Coaches are Created Equal

Coaching continues to grow in its application and importance for many leaders, aspiring leaders, organizations and individuals. As is the case for any growth industry, the challenge for those looking to select a coach is how to sort the wheat from the chaff. How do we know or identify quality coaches from the myriad of people presenting themselves as such? I have seen this challenge play out both at an organizational level, where Human Resources or Organizational Development departments are tasked with vetting coaching resources, and at an individual level, where leaders and aspiring leaders are tasked with wading through a multitude of bios of potential coaches for themselves. I've been on both sides of this selection process - picking an executive coach for myself and being selected by others to be their executive coach. What I have experienced is the processes - and the quality thereof - is as varied as the individuals and organizations involved.

If you are like most leaders I have worked with, your understanding of executive coaching can be pretty basic. You are not quite sure what coaching is and sometimes you are not quite clear on what you want to achieve by engaging an executive coach. Some of the most common reasons individuals look for a coach is they are trying to overcome some personal or professional challenges (e.g., it's lonely at the top, barriers to professional advancement), or even as simple as their organization supporting coaching for their leaders.

Regardless of motivation or understanding, the next crucial step is trying to figure out how to select an executive coach that is right for you.  In my opinion, this is an effort that requires as much time, thought and process as we put into hiring any staff member, contractor, architect, or other professional resource. I say that with the thought that all such other processes in your organization are approached with due vigour and diligence. In many respects, there should be even more effort and structure to selecting an executive coach because what's at stake is your leadership and personal effectiveness. In my opinion, without effective leadership, all other resources in an organization are vastly under-utilized or even squandered.

So how can you maximize the opportunity available to you by getting access to and support of an executive coach? How can you ensure you choose the right coach for you? Here are my top factors and processes in making your best executive coach selection decision:

NUMBER ONE!!: This is the first and most important barrier to entry to working with you!  Make sure the executive coaches that present themselves for your consideration are in fact qualified - by education and experience - to provide the requisite level of service you are looking for. I'll demonstrate my bias here in that I believe qualified coaches must meet a minimum threshold which I define as a graduate of a program that establishes the coach as Certified Executive Coach (CEC), they are members in good standing with a professional coaching association (in my case the International Coach Federation [ICF]), and tangibly demonstrate a commitment to advancing their coaching acumen. This latter part relates to continuing education and certifications relevant to coaching. In short, the only candidates that are worthy of your consideration are those that are well-trained and have an excellent track record of ongoing professional development.

Number Two: Get access to a bio or resume for a variety of coaches. Get a sense of who they are and their track record. Approach this just as you would any other recruitment process. You are hoping to have a number of options to select from and to do that you need more than a few examples to choose from. Your decision may even be informed by the multitude of samples and approaches you see coaches taking in responding to your requirements.

Number Three: Relevant and complementary experience. While it is true that one does not have to be an expert in a given sector to coach someone in that sector (e.g., I don't have to be an engineer to coach an engineer), there is no doubt that some sort of relevant and lived experience that allows your coach to relate to your challenges and opportunities is going to benefit the quality of the coaching engagement. My coaching career has been pre-dated by 25+ years as senior leader of large complex organizations (e.g., $$$ million in accountability, thousands of staff, highly political environments).  This, coupled with years of coaching senior leaders, probably allows me to more effectively work with leaders with similar scope of responsibility.  

Number Four: Just like in any other recruiting process, try to gain some clarity for yourself in what you want an executive coach to do with and for you. By way of analogy, it's a pretty daunting task to go looking for a Chief Financial Officer or IT Director if you have no idea what tasks you want them to focus on or what education and skills you need them to have. The same holds true when selecting your executive coach.

Number Five: Get references from their current or past coaching clients. If they've had positive impact on others, it's quite likely that these other clients will be more than willing to speak with you about their experience.  If they have negative experience with the coach, they might be even more willing to be frank with you about shortcomings or challenges. If the coach in question is on LinkedIn, look for endorsements and testimonials from their clients. Get the evidence. Verify the claims of success or skill of your potential coach. 

Number Six: Take the time to interview at least two to three prospective coaches. Ask them your key questions. Ask them to describe in detail their coaching process. Ask them to describe in detail their successes and their failures (e.g., toughest assignment, learnings, whether they have been fired from a coaching engagement). Ask them how they stay current in their coaching practice. This is a critical selection decision for you - take the time to get this decision right! Make this a true and effective interview.  Don't speed-date your way to a decision.

While selecting your executive coach is a very personal decision, one tactic that I have seen work well is some form of panel interview or input. I remember one client who involved a number of his direct reports in the selection process. We do this in any other number of recruiting and selection processes so why not with an executive coach? 

Number Seven: Be wary of coaches who over-promise or offer to solve your problems. While you are definitely looking for confident and competent coaches with a track record of helping clients to identify, clarify and address your challenges, be clear for yourself that it is YOU who sets the agenda for the engagement, you are the one true agent of change, and you have the power and expertise to set your future direction. In my opinion, if you are feeling you are getting the hard sell, then it's time to walk away from that engagement. 

Number Eight: Consider this an investment in your personal and professional leadership. What is that worth to you? What is it worth to your organization? It may appear more than a bit self-serving on my part, but be wary of coaches who offer bargain-basement coaching rates. While price is never a guarantee of quality (see other points in this list), it should give you pause to consider what you might be signing up for. There may be a reason you can get coaching for less than the going rate.

Number Nine: Connection, connection, connection. Beyond ensuring your coach is actually a qualified coach (see Point #1), despite whatever skills, qualifications, and references any coach might have, if you don't feel a connection to a particular coach, I'd suggest not contracting their services.  This is an individual you are going to have to feel completely comfortable in revealing all of your fears, anxieties and challenges. You are going to have to be ready to be challenged by this indiviudal in each session and during the term of your coaching engagement. If you don't feel a connection, move on to other options. This is about YOU and no one else.

Choosing a coach is a critical decision for your leadership. You want the best resource available to you. Don't settle. Your executive coach can be one of your best resources in advancing your personal leadership, so put in the time and effort into the selection process. After all, it's about YOUR leadership.

______________________________

Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC

President & Co-Founder

BreakPoint Solutions

Executive Coaching and Business Consulting

gregh@breakpoint.solutions

780-250-2543

Helping leaders realize their strengths and enabling organizations to achieve their potential through the application of my leadership experience and coaching skills. I act as a point of leverage for my clients. I AM their Force Multiplier.

My Why: Why Human Resources?

When I started my post-secondary education over 25 years ago, faced with choosing a major in a field such as Finance or Marketing or Human Resources Management, I didn’t know why I was drawn to HR Management. All I knew was it was the clear choice.

So why have I continued to dedicate my career to the HR profession? I have asked myself this question many times over the years. And what it comes down to is how the principles of successful HR Management deeply parallel who I am, my values, and how I show up in life.

HR and Me

I am driven by connection. Humans require connection to thrive and to feel like they belong. Through life experiences, I have recognized that being connected to individuals, clients, a worthy cause, or a value-add project feeds my soul.   Organizations must strive to have connection with their employees to motivate them to work towards business goals, and to help them see they’re also connected to working towards something bigger. 

My DNA is rooted in collaboration.  I am a firm believer that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Great things happen when people nurture synergies and work together instead of working in silos.  Organizations that collaborate with HR know the value of being a partner in business and, as a result, can leverage effective human resources to meet common goals.    

I am grounded by the belief of doing the right thing, and by acting with integrity, we set the stage for people’s success. Organizations must act with integrity and stand by a Code of Conduct to cultivate a healthy and productive workforce. 

Trust is the foundation for every relationship and crucial to my purpose. I have learned that without trust, it is difficult to build healthy relationships, move ahead, accomplish tasks or achieve goals – both personally and professionally. Organizations need to create a culture of trust with and among employees to drive results. At its best, with trusted advisors at the centre of HR, employees can feel empowered and valued to make a difference.

I am genuinely interested in people – their stories, their journeys (as everyone has their own path), their goals and progression in life, why they made specific decisions, their mistakes and their successes. With that passion, I have dedicated my career to bringing out the best in people. One area that has helped me to successfully elevate people is putting people first, which is a sign of humility. Humility, or being humble, helps build strong employee relationships and breaks down barriers and egos to reach business goals.  And I believe organizations need humble employees and leaders for people and the business to be successful. 

What have I observed in HR over the last 25 years?

I have seen business practices that work and others that do not work. 

Here is what works:

• Putting people first. Successful organizations know what matters most to employees. This, in turn, produces business results.  Putting people first means organizations focus on building strong relationships with employees and invest time in actively involving employees in business decisions.  It also means employees believe they have a voice and organizations value their feedback. They believe leaders listen and act on their valued ideas and input. 

• Giving employees opportunities to grow.  Incredible human potential is realized when organizations allow people to soar! Leaders who empower employees to make decisions, who offer support and mentorship to reach their goals, who are empathetic and provide flexibility to balance life, who are present and listen to their needs, and who go beyond building on strengths, enable employees to believe the sky is the limit and anything is possible. 

• Organizations embrace performance excellence.  People crave feedback! It truly matters to employees when leaders have ongoing, meaningful dialogue and provide them with feedback. Performance excellence exists when employees know how they’re doing, where they fit, and where their potential may lead.

 

Here is what does not work:

• When HR does not sit at the leadership table as a valued business partner.  HR is an organization's human resources multiplier. If HR is not viewed as a valued business partner, it will not contribute to increasing human potential and company performance.  

• When employees do not have a clear line of sight on their role to reach business goals and outcomes. If this happens, organizations will observe low employee performance and productivity, and low employee morale and engagement.  

• When organizations choose to be “teddy bears” instead of “lions”.  Organizations that do not have the strength and courage to deal with employee issues (teddy bears) run the risk of negatively impacting the company culture, employee morale and potentially losing great talent. Organizations who are prepared to deal with employee issues and make difficult decisions (lions) will reap the benefits in increased employee loyalty, team performance and a more productive workforce. It is essential to leverage HR to navigate sensitive employee issues. 

Why is HR essential to the business?

HR is, first and foremost, a partner to the business. It is a business-critical function that prioritizes people, productivity and performance. It is a trusted advisor, compliance partner, employee advocate and change agent. Collaborating with HR allows organizations to focus on people, which is what matters most to successfully meet business goals. 

What have I learned?

Employees need to:      

• Feel connected to their roles and to the company;
• Be valued and rewarded for their contributions;
• Receive ongoing performance feedback to reach their fullest potential.  

Leaders need to:

• Be present and 100% accessible to their teams;
• Involve employees in company decisions and promote two-way feedback;
• Be transparent and set relevant employee expectations to achieve company goals.

Organizations that know the value of HR, with employees who live by a clear set of values and beliefs, will reach company goals successfully. 

My Why

It is 100% clear to me today why I chose HR as a career path. Every day, with each of my clients, I get to live my values of connection, collaboration, integrity, trust and humility. I get to live my purpose to connect people, leverage human resources and deliver performance. And with the marriage of these parts of who I am to their importance and impact in HR Management, HR and I are a perfect match. 

Driven by connection,
Rita Filice
______________________________

Rita Filice, BCOMM, CPHR

Partner, BreakPoint Solutions

ritaf@breakpoint.solutions 

www.breakpoint.solutions 

780-250-2544

Rita thrives on connecting people, leveraging human resources and delivering performance.  She is a collaborative and accomplished HR leader who values authentic connection, meaningful conversation, and her positive energy and outlook make anything possible.