Once Upon a Time Notre Dame broke my heart.  The Queen happens to be Irish Catholic, so by law I’ve been a fan since birth.  My bracket had them going all the way.  No one thought they would get past the Sweet 16, but they made it to the Elite 8. I had hope and prayers.  Sometimes in HR or Management there is this person you hired. You were positive they would be fabulous, so you put your heart and time in them.

They are your personal cause, and then they break your heart!  Welcome to how I feel about the Final Four!  I’m also from Illinois and I now have to watch Wisconsin AND Michigan, Ugh!

So back to that employee.  I watch so many people stay invested in an employee when all signs point to a situation not working out.  They want it to work because it was THEIR hire and it reflects on them or its their aunt’s cousin’s neighbor.  Notre Dame is my team, you bet I get razzed on Social Media when they lose.  Seriously if I hear Roll Tide again, I will scream.  But you have to know when to give up and when to call a time out and and help.  Make sure an employee is as invested as you are in their future.  Listen to what they SHOW you. Actions, not words are the better indicator.

If you have an employee that is struggling, invest in the time to find out why.  Do they need more training?  Do they need a class on a software or job function?  Do they need a mentor to guide them in the company?  The only way to get these answers is to ask the employee and offer options.  You have to explain to an employee the tools available for their success or they will continue to struggle in their performance.  Build an employee’s trust and skill and you will give them the best chance to flourish.  The best coaches look at individual skills and build on them. And trust me the rest of the team will notice.

There will be the occasional employee that is just not meant for the job.  It’s important to realize when it’s over.  Have you taken all the time outs, done the practice drills and they are still shooting at 53%? It’s time to throw in the towel for the sake of the entire team and admit your bracket is just busted!  Everyone will feel better being able to move on to the next team and have another run at the championship…Next year!

Go ND! #ncaa #hr #finalfour