Table of Contents

• Some positive news

• Moneyball and How It Taught Me To Think Differentl …

• 1% Solutions

• Things I’m Reading

Some positive news

It is official- all surgeons have cleared me for all activity and travel! Which is great because I’m on a bit of a world tour (no, not that one):

• I’ll be in DC for the Horizons conference July 21-24. If you are attending or just in DC, and would like to meet up for coffee, let me know!

• I’m back again in DC on the 30th for Disrupt HR - I’m speaking on today’s newsletter topic. If you’d like to come, let me know!

• I’m in Boston to see family right after that

• And then—drumroll- headed to London in mid-August to see friends, explore and fingers crossed make a second attempt to see Taylor Swift. I’ll also be adding a long weekend to Edinburgh because why not (also it’s Fringe Festival which sounds like it should be fun?)

The above seems a bit ambitious, but I also know (a) I do my best work in concentrated chunks and (b) that travel time— on Amtraks and planes- are where I do some of my best thinking (limited cell service is a blessing in disguise). So bring on the (semi-organized) chaos!

Also, can I say again how very very glad to have a functioning leg. It really is the little things

Moneyball and How It Taught Me To Think Differently

"If we play like the Yankees in here, we'll lose to the Yankees out there."

A few weeks ago, I watched Moneyball on a flight home from a work trip (I've read the book and seen clips but never seen it in its entirety). While there are some great one-liners (Who’s Fabio being among my favorites) this is one of the lines that struck me. Because even if we aren't the Oakland A's, too many of us try to win with someone else's playbook- but are in different contexts. This is especially true when it comes to recruitment. But I've found platitudes like "Think outside the box!" to be mostly unhelpful in giving direction on what to do.

Billy Beane's strategy (and Malcolm Gladwell's David and Goliath) helped me immensely as I worked to lead when competitors were better resourced and had a longer track record of success. Here's what I learned from both:

✅ Zoom out to see the bigger issues at play- like Billy Beane, are you trying to compete against other organizations on their terms? Because if that’s the case, you will often lose.

✅ Be very clear on where you and/or your org sit within the market not just from a salary perspective but in terms of your entire employee value proposition. Yes, startups can pay somewhat less but they also provide excitement and opportunities that are attractive to some. Or an organization may not provide the same level of autonomy but can promise security.

✅ Get very clear on the problem you are trying to solve, and set an aligned goal. We all think we need a unicorn. And God bless if you can find one, but for most situations getting super clear on the gap in the team you are looking to fill will be a better use of your time.

✅ Get very clear on what you can and can't do.

✅ Be disciplined in aligning strategy and resources to hit your aforementioned goal.

Also? Providing clarity and structure will often unleash the creativity and engagement within you and your team. And because you’ll be playing by your own rules, you are more likely to be successful, which breeds further investment and engagement.

I’ll leave you with the quote from Moneyball the book: ““If you challenge the conventional wisdom, you will find ways to do things much better than they are currently done.”

(Also, I am a very proud Yankee fan so please keep your comments on specific baseball teams civil, unless you're discussing the Red Sox)

1% Solutions

• Audit your digital footprint to determine your employer brand- Employer brand is what attracts folks to your organization in the first place. What is yours saying about you? Think about your values, strategy and the people you’re going to need to make both a reality. Now look at your website, social media pages and Glassdoor- do you see your organization in the words and visuals you’re looking at? If not, it’s time for a refresh. Need some help on next steps? I found this article super helpful since each suggestion is manageable even for orgs without an external affairs or comms teammate.

  • Also note: think of 1-2 adjectives you want to be known as, your type of org and location (e.g. college prep middle school Brooklyn). Now google that. Do you show up in the top 5 of searches? If not you may want to start with your SEO so that folks can find you.

• Assess whether you are playing favorites- Most of us might see that heading and say “Not me!” But as people, we do have bias, and as leaders it’s our job to assess how it is showing up. This article by HBR highlights the negative impact of this but also gives a simple way to assess by asking yourself three questions:

  • Did you seek the person’s company?

  • Did you acknowledge the person’s capabilities?

  • Did you assist the person’s growth?

Things I’m Reading

• 5 Practical Ways to Leverage AI in Recruitment- related to the 1% solution above! I love that this article gives clear ways to leverage AI on job descriptions, summarizing resumes, and designing interviews. And they include prompts!

• How Carewashing Alienates Employees- While I appreciate how many organizations are working to truly embrace wellness, there are orgs who instead do the performative. A free yoga class will not erase a toxic culture or one without boundaries. The authors provide four key strategies to ensure that you are not carewashing.

• How Internal Mobility Benefits Employers- Yes, we know how internal mobility supports employees. This new blog from LinkedIn cites data on how internal mobility benefits employers- including increased learner engagement and leadership promotions.