So, you have an important presentation to prep for, a program at your child’s school to attend and you still need to get groceries, do your banking, take the dog to the vet and try to make that Zumba class that you signed up for but rarely actually make it. Scenarios like this can lead to feelings of overwhelming stress and feelings of inadequacy. In the midst of this chaos, do you ever notice other women that seem to be able to juggle it all without missing a beat? There are those people out there that seem to thrive on this non-stop and constantly busy lifestyle but what about those of us that need to decompress? What about needing down time or a time out to catch your breath? A car ride is actually my salvation, alone time when I can sort out my thoughts. No radio, no phone calls – just quiet time that I can think clearly without interruption. Our family is blended, with me and my husband having demanding careers, five kids with all of their activities, and two dogs. We’ve gotten comments over the years that we were like the “Brady Bunch minus one”, but I never saw an episode with them having to deal with visitation schedules.

We all know that stress can cause health problems such as heart disease, obesity, depression and problems with digestive, immune, nervous and cardiovascular systems. Just as important, it can also lead to problems sleeping, eating disorders and anxiety/psychological conditions. Imagine the scare we got when my husband thought he was having a heart attack, but it turned out to be chest pains brought on by anxiety! Managing your stress can be one of the hardest jobs you’ve ever tackled, but the payoffs can change your quality of life. There is a way that you can handle everything life is dishing out! Here are some simple things that you can do in your everyday life to help your overall well-being .

10 steps to simplifying your life:

1. Reduce your debt – financial worries can be a drain on your energy and a major stressor. Make a payment plan on your larger debts, possibly choose to pay a certain amount over the monthly payment to begin chipping away at the debt itself. Make a budget that you can stick to regarding spending money for the week. Find ways to have fun that don’t involve spending money. We pay extra on our mortgage each month and have enjoyed cooking out more at home this summer instead of going out.

2. Try online banking – manage your finances online and schedule automatic payments without needing to write out checks, balance your checkbook, lick stamps and visit the post office. This can save several hours of your time and give you increased visibility and control over your bank accounts.

3. Disconnect – turn off your cell phone when you don’t want to be interrupted. Screen calls and use your voicemail feature to your advantage. Arrange a place in your home where you can “park” your electronics when you arrive home in the evenings. Ours is located on the dresser in the bedroom and the iPhones stay there and charge during our “at home” hours.

4. Delegate chores – at home and at the office. Don’t try to do it all, ask for help! The kids can help mowing the lawn, doing the dishes and feeding the dogs, but you might want to draw the line at your husband doing the laundry….

5. Let go of the myth of perfection – not everything you do has to be perfect. Trying to achieve this with every task is a mental and physical drain. Put forth your best effort but know it is ok to leave some things undone occasionally. Most days I can finish making the bed, but I have no excuse for that overgrown bush in my front yard.

6. Learn to say “no” – there are simply times when you have too much going on to stay productive.Gradually get out of commitments that are not beneficial to you and leave yourself some room for down time and fun!

7. Move, move, move – Be active each day, either by walking, hiking, playing a sport, running, doing yoga or going to a gym. Just make sure it’s something that you have fun doing. I enjoy pilates at my local gym.

8. Find an activity that “calms” you – this can an activity that gets you moving such as exercise, housework or gardening. It also could be something lower key such as meditation, taking a nap or a bath, or reading. Any activity you like as long as it makes you feel centered and calm.

9. Declutter – this sounds like work but can actually lead to a more peaceful environment. Get rid of things that are taking of space and not needed anymore; clean out a room or closet and take a load of donated items to a charity. You don’t have to accomplish this all at once and it can also be a “calming” activity for some.

10. Be on time – or be early! Running late can cause major feelings of stress. Try to build in some buffer time when you know things might take longer than normal, such as mornings getting your kids ready for school and yourself ready for work. Leave extra time to get ready, for the commute or necessary errands.

Sometimes there are larger obstacles and you need to enlist some outside help. Consider some of these options, but be prepared to pay for the convenience:

• Hire a nanny or part-time caregiver for your children. Even a couple of hours a day taking them and picking them up from school can help save you some valuable time on the road and create more quality time with your kids.
• Hire a cleaning service. This doesn’t mean you need someone every week, but possibly set it up to have the service come every two or three weeks to handle the big chores that normally take up your weekends. This way, you'll continue to clean but are freed up from the more time-consuming tasks.
• Hire a dog walker or pet caregiver. Depending on the level of need for your pet, this could be something as simple as a walk in the afternoon before you make it home from your workday or more comprehensive care for pets that require more attention.
• Meal delivery is an option. There are companies across the country that offer ready-made meals, or the ingredients to put an entire dinner together and they deliver to your home. You can choose healthy options or tailor the menus to your needs such as low sodium, portion controlled or diabetic friendly meals.
• Laundry service. Many dry cleaners offer a drop off and delivery laundry service.

Working parents with children certainly do not corner the market when it comes to busy days and busy schedules. We all have commitments that fill our days – careers, volunteer activities, gym, book club, school activities, commuting, family obligations, etc. Tackling those situations that can cause stress with positive thoughts and constructive solutions can be a benefit to your well-being and the overall mental health of your family as well.

Erik Karff, Manager of Marketing and Social Media for Allegis Group Services, recently held an exclusive interview with Bryan Pena, Vice President, Contingent Workforce Strategies and Research, on the upcoming CWS Summit in Las Vegas October 4th and 5th.

Bryan offered us some outstanding insights into the upcoming conference and we are sharing them with you.

Here is what Bryan had to say:

AGS: What is the CWS Summit? Who is it for?

Bryan Pena: Now in its 7th year, the CWS Summit is the largest event anywhere dedicated to contingent workforce management and services procurement personnel.  In simpler terms, anyone who in any way is involved with handling external labor resources for their company can get value from attending.  This could be someone from Human Resources and Procurement of course but we also see participants who are in finance, operations or Information Technology as well.

AGS: What type of companies attend?

Bryan Pena: The attendance list looks like the who’s who of corporate America.  Companies like 3M, Apple, AstraZeneca, Cargill, Citigroup, HP, Delta Airlines, Facebook and hundreds of others.  Whether you manage a CW program of seven billion or seven million, there is value in attending.

AGS: Why would someone come to CWS, instead of other conferences?

Bryan Pena: While the agenda covers many HR and procurement topic areas it is important to remember that this event is only dedicated to issues facing contingent workforce managers.  That being said, nowhere else will you get such a focused perspective on this rapidly growing field. Since economist universally agree that the contingent workforce is becoming an ever more critical component in today’s volatile economy anyone who wants to stay on top of this complex field should strongly consider attending.

AGS: What can they expect this year?

Bryan Pena: But seriously, we have a great agenda this year, and I’m not just saying that because I wrote it!  For one we have a great set of keynotes; Dan Shapiro from the Harvard Program on Negotiation will be coming to share his perspective on how to improve supplier relations. Also, we are honored to have the former Secretary of Labor and professor Robert Reich coming to share his perspective on the future of work. While the keynotes are reasons to attend in and of themselves we are offering an assortment of panel discussions moderated by SIA staff on anything from Six Sigma, to cost savings, to program office construction.  Taking a cue from previous years, participants in these panels will be organized by program maturity to allow attendees to select those sessions which best apply to them: Beginning, Experienced and Advanced. 

Also, we are offering a selection of dedicated topic based workshops.  These are meant to be more detailed explorations of specific areas of interest to contingent workforce managers.  We have three such dedicated workshops scheduled this year: Crafting an RFP, Data Analytics and Recruitment Process Outsourcing. 

Finally, while it is hard to deny that there is a lot of valuable material to learn, and attending will definitely help the Contingent Workforce manager do their job better, lets don’t forget  it’s in Las Vegas, so the non-conference atmosphere will be second to none!

Human resources has changed over the last ten years. No longer solely concerned with administrating benefits and enforcing policies, it has evolved into a strategic role focused on cultivating and utilizing talent in an organization. Largely possible by innovations in software technology this trend towards acquiring, growing, and managing talent—or strategic HR—is improving the bottom line for companies of all sizes. The question many business leaders are asking is, “What exactly is strategic HR and how can it help my organization?”

Traditionally, HR was a staff oversight function, recording an endless amount of employee data and policy changes. HR professionals were the only ones able to access this important information. Now, HR processes such as hiring and talent management are far more collaborative, and valuable data is shared across the organization. Strategic HR takes this type of information and leverages it to info key business decisions.

In broadening the scope beyond their traditional functions, HR professionals are taking on new roles as organizational advocates, talent coaches and workforce consultants. This hybrid of HR functionality oversees three core strategic HR functions:

• Talent Management focuses on acquiring, on-boarding, and developing talent through employees’ entire life-cycles within organizations.
  
• Learning Management focuses on managing the process of developing hard and soft skills, monitoring certifications, and rolling out training courses.
  
• Workforce Management focuses on processes managers rely on to manage daily staffing tasks such as time tracking and shift scheduling so they can focus on big picture operational needs. A key driver in the development of strategic HR has been the adoption of web-based HR software. HR software solutions focused on best practices in newly emerging functions (talent management, learning management, workforce management) involve both managers and employees in important processes like hiring and performance reviews. By automating core HR functions, managers have more time to focus on improving performance and efficiency. Furthermore, organizations are better able to take a strategic perspective on big-picture practices such as hiring better people, setting performance goals and improving talent effectiveness.
  

A key driver in the development of strategic HR has been the adoption of web-based HR software. HR software solutions focused on best practices in newly emerging functions (talent management, learning management, workforce management) involve both managers and employees in important processes like hiring and performance reviews. By automating core HR functions, managers have more time to focus on improving performance and efficiency. Furthermore, organizations are better able to take a strategic perspective on big-picture practices such as hiring better people, setting performance goals and improving talent effectiveness.

Organizations that are serious about transitioning into strategic HR should be prepared for some growing pains. Safeguard yourself and your organization, and take time to put in your due diligence now. If you do your homework, research best practices and compare software to find what best fits your unique organization, you can ease this transition. Establishing an effective, strategic HR framework that can grow with your organization over time is no small task, but it's undoubtedly worthwhile.

About the Author: Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst for Software Advice, a company that specializes in human resources software comparisons.

Join us for a live interview and Q&A with Faye Holland, Managing Director, European & Asia Pacific Operations, SharedXpertise, Global Executive Director of HROA , as we interview Faye about the upcoming HRO Europe Conference (November 2 – 4, 2011). Learn about the conference’s benefits and why it is imperative that you attend.

At this live Webinar/Interview you will have the opportunity to:

When: Wednesday, August 17, 2011 10:30 AM-11:00 AM

Where: (US)Conference line (866) 246-4691, code 7039509 or International Call In: Global Numbers

Go to: https://allegisgroupservices.webex.com/allegisgroupservices/j.php?J=596391230

Start the dialogue now and leave your questions in the comment section below. 

Are you encouraging the creative thinking needed to transform your organization to the next level?

Double entendre’s aside, everyone is trying to find the path to innovation these days. A wise man recently imparted to my group some colorful and explicit words surrounding a company’s need to “innovate or die”. He went on to explain how he thought that we would be a failure as a company if next year we remained static with what we are doing today. This is a pretty bold, but true statement, even for a business group thought to be the leading innovator of a $6.4 billion organization. Revenue follows innovation. And if weren’t for innovation, where might we be today? Tomorrow? In this day and age it's easy for most to stick with the status quo or go with the ‘if it aint broke don’t fix it” mantra…but failure to come up with something new could be the end.

The rise and fall of Polaroid

Polaroid dominated the photo industry in the 80’s. They had expertise in optics, manufacturing and mass market distribution. The company followed a ‘razors and blades’ business model. Essentially they sold their cameras at a low margin, sometimes even at a loss, but made their money through selling high volumes of exclusive film, very much like Gillette does with its razors. Then came the digital imaging revolution, which saw strong resistance from Polaroid’s senior executive management. Ultimately they were late to adopt the new technology and missed the proverbial boat. This led them down the troubled path of near extinction, not to mention a host of bankruptcies.

Where’s the film?

Polaroid’s executives could not understand or adapt to the business concept of a camera with no film. This was a complete change in the way they did business. Why couldn’t management endorse the revolution? Tradition had built powerful mental models that prevented them from recognizing change and the future of the industry. These mental models are powerful and can stifle creativity and block innovative thinking.

Breaking mental models and setting the groundwork for innovation

How do you break out and come up with creative solutions? Think about a time when you came up with something creative. How did the idea develop? What was the environment like? Now, think about a time that you were frustrated while brainstorming. What prevented you from focusing in on the solution?

Let’s take a lesson from some of the most innovative organizations in business. Leading firms like Apple, Ideo, Intuit and Pixar all have comparable front line methods for creating a healthy environment for innovative thinking. Below are some tips to stir the creative juices.

1. Become an enthnographer: Observe the customer in their environment. There is no substitute for firsthand knowledge. Understand their needs, how they use products, and what their habits are.
2. Share your experiences: Have your team members share what they have seen, heard, and learned. Creating a group forum is a great way to create collaborative communication amongst a group.
3. Brainstorm: Let your team generate ideas in an open forum. Get as many ideas on the board as possible. It is very important to practice deferred judgment during these early stages.
4. Filter: Reduce the various ideas by voting in silence. Be sure that your team makes independent judgments.
5. Move it forward: Have a neutral facilitator. Leaders must intervene not to make decisions, but to narrow down and keep the process moving.
6. Prototype: Have your team engage in rapid proto-typing. If creating a product, have something physical for them to work with. Everyone expresses themselves differently. Accommodate and arm your team with the right tools and environment.
7. Diversify: Have subgroups work parallel on the same issue to help create divergent thinking. If groups get stagnant, switch up your teams.
8. Collaborate: Get your users involved in the process. Have your team take their prototypes out to the field to gather feedback

Some of the best ideas can come from the field or the very bottom of your organization. In 2008 two of Intuit’s newest employees came up with an initiative which led to 32 newly in-house generated ideas

Environment

Your surroundings are an essential part of the process. Try your best to eliminate distractions that might arise from an uncomfortable or sterile environment. Participants are encouraged to design their own workspace with unique décor and ambiance. Companies like Ideo went so far as to keep failed projects around. They firmly believe that it takes failed ideas to lead to ones that are a success. Their directive is to ask for forgiveness rather than permission when acting upon their ideas. All practices that help create a context conducive to creativity.

New beginnings

Polaroid may have been knocked down (multiple times), but shows resilience once again. They are proving that there is always room for innovation within an age old product or saturated industry. They have recently teamed with the eccentric superstar, Lady Gaga, to lead the launch of the new Polaroid Grey Label line. She is introducing a new wireless printer, picture-taking sunglasses, and a host of other products that work with their new Zink (zero ink) technology. As one of the top revenue generating female artists in the US today, Polaroid is banking that Gaga will continue to turn everything she touches into gold. I think her achievements are directly related to her ability to innovate and reinvent. Do you think her success can be attributed to pure talent? Or does she follow a process and create an environment that is conducive to breaking those engrained mental models? It’s time to unleash your team’s potential by opening the door to creativity.

Participate in our poll

Does your company have a process or create an environment that promotes innovation? Leave the answer in the comments section and we will post the results.

Let’s face it…not so long ago, being in procurement wasn’t seen as a very sexy occupation. Ok…I know some of you are chuckling thinking it’s still not that exciting, but I beg to differ. And I’ll give you five good reasons why you should give procurement and sourcing professionals more credibility and respect.

1. They are the unsung heroes of the recession and economic crisis. Since the beginning of the economic downturn, cost containment has become a key priority for organizations of all sizes. This means that the procurement group has increased its strategic position on the corporate totem pole. In many cases, the CPO is now not only at the Board Room table, but is actually an invited guest. Increasing revenues or decreasing costs…fundamentally, those are the two ways to positively impact your net income. In a time of recession, increasing revenues can be a challenge at best, so decreasing costs becomes the focus. Strategic sourcing, which frankly has always made sense to do…becomes a priority, and the procurement group drives that process.
2. They take the heat from every part of the company. Not only do CPOs and their groups have to answer to the CFO…but they have internal stakeholders across all areas of the company as well. A recent report ("The CPO in 2011: The Toughest Job in the Global 1000") by HfS Research states that a CPO’s job is “not for the faint of heart”. This is most definitely true—CPOs are on speed dial from every internal department from accounting to product management to the office of the CEO. They are being asked to cut costs by one department…while being told that they can’t trim costs by another department that “requires” something specific for their product. One thing I know for sure—if procurement is brought into the conversation earlier in the process, decisions can be made with all information on the table and everyone gains.  Speaking of which… 
3. They use robust information to make decisions. Procurement execs use market intelligence in all their sourcing decisions. They are well-informed about the supply markets in which they are involved and provide compelling information to any negotiation. At a minimum, this includes costs, but it can also include finding innovative suppliers…or collaborating on product improvements including service and process.
4. Their job requires a skill set that is enviable. Not so long ago, I worked as a consultant. A few years in to it, I remember someone asking me why I had chosen business school vs. a graduate school that might prepare me for a specific career—like med school or law school—something I could be trained to start “doing” right away. So I started thinking about what I was learning as a consultant and realized that the skills I acquired—being able to think on my feet, enjoying the opportunity to speak in front of a crowd, managing a variety of different moving parts, analyzing complex data and learning to tell a compelling story from it—were things that I could take with me in ANY future career. The same can be said for people in procurement. The skills they have mastered are crucial and should be leveraged and appreciated. In their roles, they learn to manage complex supply chains…they master the art of negotiating on price and other intangible factors that contribute to the total value…and they generally own supplier relationships. Individually, each of these skills is useful for professional OR personal reasons, but collectively, these skills pack a powerful punch.
5. They are innovators. Have you looked around a Procurement Department lately? Any misconceptions that people in procurement are old, stodgy pencil-pushers need to be completely erased. At SIG (www.sig.org, an organization that provides best practice events, content and networking opportunities for sourcing and outsourcing professionals, primarily from Fortune 500/Global 500 companies), over the past four years, we’ve noticed a massive shift in the demographic of people representing their procurement, sourcing and outsourcing groups. Not only are these folks incredibly bright, but they are also choosing these careers out of college and actually training for them. The talent management pool is becoming bigger because this has become a career of choice. With that energy and passion, comes innovation. Nothing in procurement is “as it used to be.” If SIG members are at all representative of the market as a whole (which they most definitely are), then this group is one of the most collaborative and innovative in their organizations. They seek best practices…they share key learnings…and they implement new ideas with passion and determination. They are doers.

Before I started working at SIG, in all honesty, I didn’t get it—didn’t get why this space was so exciting…didn’t see what I see now. This is a dynamic, fast-changing area and the people in procurement represent the best and brightest. I’m drinking the Kool-Aid now. I get it. I have a deep respect for both the people in procurement and the very critical roles they play in their organizations and hope you will too.

About Sourcing Interests Group
Sourcing Interests Group (SIG), www.sig.org, is a membership organization that has served sourcing and outsourcing professionals from Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies throughout its 20-year history. SIG is unique in that it blends practitioners, service providers and advisory firms in a non-commercial environment. Members of all types are focused on improving bottom-line performance, quality and customer service through strategic sourcing/procurement and outsourcing initiatives. SIG is acknowledged by many as a world leader in providing an ongoing forum for networking and sharing thought leadership, innovation and “next” practices.
Request more information about SIG membership.

SIG’s next Global Leadership Summit will be held October 18 – 20, 2011 in Seattle, WA. Click here for more information. 

Command and control organizations are disappearing. Any organization operating that way has either reduced its attractiveness to customers and/or employees significantly over the last 10 years, gone out of business or switched to some matrix or other model. In reality this is moving swiftly to a more hybrid variation: part core, part decentralized and, overall, leveraged by a wide variety of sophisticated supply chain and alternative sourcing strategies 

Innovation in Capability

The most talented people on the planet are either working for themselves or in the top positions at a company. They may never want another enterprise position. However, they do want to make a difference if they can be rewarded and inspired in some way. There are only so many ways in which to think about that fact and at the same time improve your capability. More capable people and systems that are at your disposal mean innovative ways of attracting and leveraging that level of skill without risk to you (define your own risk). In order to do this we need new ways to attract and manage these skills and bring that global capability to fruition.  

This requires us to develop entirely new ways of thinking about the resources and the network of value/eco-system in which they demand. 

This innovative thinking reshapes your entire organization at the rate and pace that your own capability/maturity dictates.

Redefining Capability 

Capability is about sustainability; which are powerful allies in the battle for success and competitive advantage.

Sustainability is born out of careful and considerate planning. In the 21st century all manners of things need consideration. Where raw materials come from, pricing strategy, political and legislative policy, consumer trends, new market entrants, public and media pressures, ethical and moral responsibility, competitors’ innovation and many more.

Capability to understand, think through and master this degree of complexity requires real energy and passion. It also requires us to methodically rethink our strategies, especially our capability.

Capability is built from ability. It is everything. No activity or value can be created, no task achieved without it.

We have redefined what this means. We've given it its rightful place in business – EVERYTHING! 

Not having this 21^st century capability may result in poorly designed organizations, inappropriate resourcing strategy, the wrong business model for effective or operational excellence, people in the wrong roles, doing the wrong things and often for the wrong reason. That is not capability. 

Capability means that your business can achieve. It means that you can develop the right strategies, attain your goals and move closer to your vision.

Capability is the raw material of success.