Kirk Baumann's Blog (39)

Not Your Typical Millennial

By this time, we’ve all heard about the Millennial generation or Gen Y. We know about Helicopter Parents (or worse, Blackhawk parents), entitlement issues, and the fact that they’re all what we’d consider “digital natives.” Yep – Gen Y has never known the world without the internet. We’re different than any other generation. Yes, you heard me right. We. I’m a Millennial too. …

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Added by Kirk Baumann on October 4, 2011 at 7:30am — No Comments

Teamwork According to The Smurfs

This summer the little blue guys came to the big screen. No, I’m not talking about Blue Man Group. I’m talking about the Smurfs! I remember watching the television show as a kid, thinking to myself, “Why won’t Gargamel leave the poor guys alone?” You see, Gargamel was the evil genius (or so he thought) that was always devising a plan to capture the Smurfs. His plan, much like that of…

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Added by Kirk Baumann on September 6, 2011 at 7:30am — 2 Comments

The Power of Thank You

Photo credit: Wordle

When was the last time you said thank you? If you can’t remember, then it’s been too long. I just started reading a book written by someone that I’ve met and have a great deal of respect for regarding their leadership. The book is…

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Added by Kirk Baumann on August 30, 2011 at 7:30am — 4 Comments

Employee Engagement: Communication Breakdown

Photo credit: TransGriot

A wise person once said, “Ask the people who do the work. They know the problems, but they also have the solutions.”

Where do I think all of this starts? I’m glad you asked! Recently, my company has been reviewing our annual employee engagement survey results and I have been inspired to write several blog posts from the… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on August 18, 2011 at 7:30am — 4 Comments

In Pursuit of Happiness (#SHRM11 Learnings pt. 2)

"It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere." -- Agnes Repplier

Am I a culture fit for this company? Do my values and beliefs align with those of the organization? These are two questions that many job seekers, employers, and employees are asking themselves these days. Culture is the… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on July 12, 2011 at 7:30am — No Comments

#SHRM11 Learnings pt. 1

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the SHRM (Society for Human Resources) Annual Conference in Las Vegas. I joined over 14,000 HR professionals from 73 countries, 1400 exhibitors, and 650 volunteers for the largest conference for HR in the world. I…

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Added by Kirk Baumann on July 7, 2011 at 7:30am — No Comments

Your Road Map to a Successful Conference

These days, it seems that there are conferences for every profession, hobby or interest. From Comic-Con to academic/professional conferences like… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on June 16, 2011 at 7:30am — No Comments

Life, Unplugged

In this fast-paced world, we’re all connected 24/7/365. We have Google, iPhones, Skype and many other devices that make our lives easier. But, do they really make things easier or is all this connectivity causing more complexity in our lives? This Sunday, my wife and I attended church service while we were home visiting family. The pastor asked the very question above. Is technology causing… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on June 7, 2011 at 10:02am — 5 Comments

Do Good, Do It Now (Please)

Experience: It’s a word that can either help or haunt you. Everyone seems to be looking for experience, yet there are so many people without it. It’s a catch-22. You need someone to give you a chance (you having no experience) in the first place to…

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Added by Kirk Baumann on May 24, 2011 at 9:09am — No Comments

Life Lessons from Airline Delays

These days, if you travel frequently by plane, you know that delays happen. They happen to just about everyone. For me, the airline delays are just a way of life at this point. There’s no avoiding it. Whether you’re going through Dallas-Ft. Worth, Atlanta, or Chicago’s O’Hare, you’re going to end up waiting at some juncture. Expect the unexpected. While I was on… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on April 26, 2011 at 7:30am — No Comments

Why Do We Hide Behind Technology?

This weekend, I sat down with a great group of young leaders to discuss the topic of business communication. Business communication includes modes like email, IM, text, video, Skype, social media, written letters, and the telephone. That was the order given when I asked for some examples. Can you guess what method didn’t come up? I’ll give you a hint: You… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on April 19, 2011 at 7:30am — 2 Comments

Why It's Good to Travel with the Boss

There’s a business trip coming up. You’ve been planning for weeks, booking your airfare, hotel, rental car and meetings. Then, something happens that completely throws you off-guard. The boss informs you that they’ll be traveling with you! What??!! The first thing that pops into your head is, “oh, no. Am I in trouble? Am I being checked out?” All the articles… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on April 12, 2011 at 7:30am — 2 Comments

Make the Most of Daunting Deadlines

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make when they fly by." – Douglas Adams

April 15th is fast approaching. It's tax season. I think we’re all familiar with deadlines. Some people live by deadlines while others loathe them. As a job seeker or career professional,…

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Added by Kirk Baumann on April 7, 2011 at 11:20am — No Comments

Are You In It To Win It?

I was flipping through the channels one evening and happened upon NBC’s game show, Minute to Win It. Guy Fieri is the host – you may know him from Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins &… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on March 30, 2011 at 7:30am — No Comments

Live & Learn: Lessons from James Franco

This past Sunday evening, James Franco and Anne Hathaway co-hosted the 83^rd Annual Academy Awards, celebrating excellence in acting, film making, music and much more. The two actors starred in a variety of different promotional commercials leading up to the big event, poking a little fun at the ways each were preparing for the show (everything from learning ballroom dancing to avoiding… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on March 1, 2011 at 7:30am — No Comments

3 Top Ideas for Success

I’m a big fan of lists. There, I said it. I make lists for everything from groceries to goals and everything in between. I’m an even bigger fan of short, concise lists. Can you achieve the exact same thing in three points as you could with ten points? Sure, why not?

I recently had the opportunity to hear… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on February 24, 2011 at 7:30am — 2 Comments

BE the Shadow! Tips from a Groundhog

Each year, Americans celebrate Groundhog Day on February 2. That’s right. For the past 125 years, we’ve had a day celebrating a rodent. Punxsutawney Phil is a legend. He has his own … Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on January 25, 2011 at 9:36am — No Comments

Making Work Meetings Work

This week, I’ll be meeting with some of the best Human Resource and Recruiting professionals in the industry that spans over Retail, Finance & Accounting, and Consumer Packaged Goods to discuss challenges we’re facing with recruitment and retention. As Director of Career…

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Added by Kirk Baumann on January 18, 2011 at 7:30am — No Comments

Great Minds Think...Differently!

“Great minds think alike.” We’ve all heard this phrase before. It typically warrants saying when someone has an idea that you were already thinking about. “Great minds think alike, huh Kirk?” Think about that for a moment. If all great minds thought alike, where would we be? If… Continue

Added by Kirk Baumann on January 11, 2011 at 8:49am — 10 Comments

Must Be This Tall to Ride

Have you been to an amusement park recently? Once you get past the overcrowded parking lots, stand in line for tickets, (just to stand in line more once inside), and finally get to the roller coaster where people of all…

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Added by Kirk Baumann on January 4, 2011 at 7:30am — 2 Comments