Blog Posts

Zappos’ Experiment with Holacracy

I have long admired Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos for his out-of-the-box thinking and workplace innovation. Hsieh pioneered the practice of paying people to quit, which is one very effective way of transitioning unengaged employees to other pastures. He and his team also adjusted Zappos’ interview process to increase the focus on a candidate’s attitude, rather than just aptitude. Assessing these two metrics became tasks for two separate interview teams; a spot-on best practice. Then he introduced Holacracy to Zappos, and I started questioning whether his success streak will come to an end. The idea behind Holacracy is that there ...

Fuel50 Guest Post: The Three Truths of Agile Recruitment

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The silver bullet, the magic cure, the rock star employee who will magically solve your business woes. Myths, all myths, and dangerous ones at that, that easily gain traction when the blind start leading the blind through the murky waters of talent acquisition and management! The three truths of agile recruitment: #1 Any employee is only as good as the environment in which they must operate (and the opportunities they are given). #2 It’s a question of alignment; the right career experience, for the right person at the right time. #3 It’s very possible to turn an A player into ...

“Re-Casting” Employees into the Right Role

Miss Betty

The following passage is from my New York Times Best Seller Building a Magnetic Culture: RECOGNIZING TALENT - MISS BETTY’S STORY She is more than just a greeter to patients and guests at Ochsner Health System in New Orleans, Louisiana; she is Miss Betty, an always smiling, forever cheerful, burst of positivity and enthusiasm. The Louisiana hospital group first recognized Miss Betty’s positive attitude and ability to connect with patients and their families when she started working as a housekeeper 30 years ago. She was in that position for many years, but Senior Leaders thought her people skills could be ...