Superfluous Words

All talk and no action.
A little less conversation, a lot more action, please.
His bark is worse than his bite.
He talks a good game.

Let's hope that no one is saying these words about you. Especially to someone with whom you might potentially work. Are those you work for and/or work with discouraged by your lack of performance? This is not in reference to a protracted search or a project that is having trouble getting off the ground. This is in regards to satisfying your client, your customer, your hiring manager. It is not always an easy task to assure even the most appeasable of clients.

When words become superfluous, what are the alternatives? There is only so much one can say to stall a situation or present a new opportunity. Following through and grasping the idea of personal responsibility is more difficult for some than others. Recognizing that actions speak louder than words is more than understanding why kindness is so important, as mother always taught you.

When reaching the limit of what you can do or are able to complete, how do you leave it? Are you the recruiter that leaves the candidate hanging? Are you the recruiter that submits the fast and easy candidate? Or do you present the Rock Star that is only kicking tires and will not really make that transition, but the fact that you know the Rock Star simply makes you look good? Preparation is more than just throwing a resume against a wall and hoping it will stick.

It's easy to say that you will do the work. It's easy to cast your line, but do you check it? Are you pulling in your net and fixing the holes? Is your hook baited? Are you diligent about testing your line, to make sure it is strong enough, that there are no knots? What kind of chum are you? Do you make a lot of noise thus scaring away any bites? Do you search in a wide, shallow pool or a small, deep one? Will "your approach" bring the right kind of business to your door?

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." ~Henry David Thoreau
I had one on the line this big, really.

by rayannethorn

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steve van horn on September 15, 2009 at 4:45am

Rayanne,
I'm on the other side of this coin. I seem to keep hiring these "rock stars" who have great potential, but so far don't see it for themselves!?! They all seem to want more pay with the slightest bit of success, which to me is their actual job. I'm all for praise & rewarding my staff for a job WELL done, yet, they always seem to want a pat on the back for the slightest bit of task completion. I could set an atomic clock by quiting time, however, starting time tends to be flexible & always 20 min. after arriving. I swear I contemplate working 18 hr. days, just because I'd rather just do it myself then to have to ride my employees about "there is always something to do!"

I know your thinking you are hiring the wrong people or expectations & duties aren't clearly laid out. I wish that was the case, then I'd be able to correct my error. I don't think we've hired anyone under early 30s who seems to have any work ethic. I hate to be so critical & almost judgemental on a generation; but, I have to wonder, am I alone in thinking that we've over indulged our kids? Have we given them everything they want, that when they head into the work place they are actually thinking,"how will the boss please me today," instead of vise versa?
Tell me, where has exceeding expectation, giving 110%, or going above the call of duty gone? Maybe, the only good thing to come from this recession will be that, working is a privilege, be thankful if you have a job & do everything you can to keep it!

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Permalink Reply by Peter Ceccarelli on September 15, 2009 at 1:51pm

You make some very valid points! Gen Y is engaged if we show them how they are engaged, how they too impact the result and if we do that, then they will work hard towards the overall success. If we don't engage them on that front (showing them almost literally how they impact, what the vision is and how they are included on that vertical line) AND give them lots of feedback...........they love feedback........they won't buy in. In a lot of ways they are very similar to baby boomers, but as baby boomers with so much competition in the work place we HAD to work exhausting hours just in order to move an inch forward towards promotions and more responsibilities. And baby boomer raised Gen Y! Gen Y is not skeptical, but if they believe a yoga class at 4:00 is important for balance in their lives, and can then come back to work from 6:00-7:30, they'll do it. But if we don't offer just SOME of that flexibility, then they have a hard time drinking the kool-aide! That's been my experience. And are they over indulged? Yes, probably some because the boomers felt guilty about all the hours they were working and there was so many gadgets and gizmo's hitting the market in floods when they were born, it aleviated just some of the guilt about not always being available. Just a thought!

Steve van horn said:

Rayanne,
I'm on the other side of this coin. I seem to keep hiring these "rock stars" who have great potential, but so far don't see it for themselves!?! They all seem to want more pay with the slightest bit of success, which to me is their actual job. I'm all for praise & rewarding my staff for a job WELL done, yet, they always seem to want a pat on the back for the slightest bit of task completion. I could set an atomic clock by quiting time, however, starting time tends to be flexible & always 20 min. after arriving. I swear I contemplate working 18 hr. days, just because I'd rather just do it myself then to have to ride my employees about "there is always something to do!"

I know your thinking you are hiring the wrong people or expectations & duties aren't clearly laid out. I wish that was the case, then I'd be able to correct my error. I don't think we've hired anyone under early 30s who seems to have any work ethic. I hate to be so critical & almost judgemental on a generation; but, I have to wonder, am I alone in thinking that we've over indulged our kids? Have we given them everything they want, that when they head into the work place they are actually thinking,"how will the boss please me today," instead of vise versa?
Tell me, where has exceeding expectation, giving 110%, or going above the call of duty gone? Maybe, the only good thing to come from this recession will be that, working is a privilege, be thankful if you have a job & do everything you can to keep it!

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Permalink Reply by Carissa Jordan on September 15, 2009 at 4:29pm

No Steve you are not alone in thinking the way you do. I too, agree that the new generation is.....well...and I'll just say it...LAZY!!

I am in my mid 30's and my folks taught me that hard work never hurt nobody and due to that mindset my parents were able to provide very well for my sibling and I growing up and to this day I take that same mindset and I have provided myself with a comfortable life. Now as for my sibling being 10 years younger than me, he struggles every minute of the day and can't keep a job to save his life. He is looking for that so called "dream" job, where you work very little and get paid the big bucks. And he wonders why he cannot stay employed.

The really sad part of it is.....most Gen Y people are very intelligent folks with the knowledge of technology, which is HUGE these days, but they are too busy fulfilling their wants above everything else. If they would harness that motivation towards actually working, they would probably be one of THE most incredible generations alive. There can be a good balance of hard work and hard play.

Steve van horn said:

Rayanne,
I'm on the other side of this coin. I seem to keep hiring these "rock stars" who have great potential, but so far don't see it for themselves!?! They all seem to want more pay with the slightest bit of success, which to me is their actual job. I'm all for praise & rewarding my staff for a job WELL done, yet, they always seem to want a pat on the back for the slightest bit of task completion. I could set an atomic clock by quiting time, however, starting time tends to be flexible & always 20 min. after arriving. I swear I contemplate working 18 hr. days, just because I'd rather just do it myself then to have to ride my employees about "there is always something to do!"

I know your thinking you are hiring the wrong people or expectations & duties aren't clearly laid out. I wish that was the case, then I'd be able to correct my error. I don't think we've hired anyone under early 30s who seems to have any work ethic. I hate to be so critical & almost judgemental on a generation; but, I have to wonder, am I alone in thinking that we've over indulged our kids? Have we given them everything they want, that when they head into the work place they are actually thinking,"how will the boss please me today," instead of vise versa?
Tell me, where has exceeding expectation, giving 110%, or going above the call of duty gone? Maybe, the only good thing to come from this recession will be that, working is a privilege, be thankful if you have a job & do everything you can to keep it!