One of my all-time favorite movies is Forrest Gump.  I really enjoyed the telling of this fictional story with many references to actual historical events.  And, of course, Tom Hanks is a great actor who helped make this film a tremendous hit.  In the movie, Hanks plays the title character, a pure-hearted, somewhat intellectually challenged man, who gets asked many times throughout his life: “Are you stupid?”.  Forrest always replies with the same words that his Mama taught him: “Stupid is as stupid does.”
 
In simplest terms, I take this to mean that you are only as stupid as your actions.  And your actions are the one thing you actually have control over.  It’s the reason so many people create new year’s resolutions—to give them some sense of control in their lives.
 
New year’s resolutions are really just goals you set for yourself at the start of a new year, and they very frequently center around health.  When talking about health, most people will tend to focus on their physical health, but health can also refer to the general well-being of your: mind, spirit, business, staff, finances, relationships, sales, productivity, etc.
 
Most people create new year’s resolutions with the best of intentions, but then find it difficult to make the time or to put in the effort to act on those intentions. But remember, it’s only your actions which dictate whether you’re stupid, or kind, or...healthy.
 
Changing behaviors forever, or even for a year, can seem like a daunting task.  However, committing to a change for, let's say, a month is certainly manageable.  If you make that commitment and execute on the plan, then you can commit to it for another month, and another...
 
Today is only the last day of the first month of a new year.  So, ask yourself: How healthy were you in January?  Did you meet your goals?  If not, my advice to you is this: 1) Don’t beat yourself up about it; and 2) Don’t give up on those goals!
 
Tomorrow is the first day of a new month.  Approach it with the same resolve and enthusiasm as the beginning of a new year.  And keep reminding yourself: Healthy is as healthy does!

Ready for a little fun today?  Okay, then we'll begin.
 
First, I'd like you to watch this 2-minute video and follow the instructions.  Yes, you should actually count the passes as they instruct you to do in the video.
 
Don't read on until you watch the video...it’s only a couple of minutes long.
 
Have you watched it?  Okay, then continue reading...
 
Someone recently showed me this video and I loved it because it illustrates perfectly the tunnel vision we can all suffer from when we get fixated on something.
 
Don't get me wrong, focus is good.  In fact, focus is often key to productivity.
 
However, getting fixated on something to the exclusion of all else can be detrimental.  We could miss something that's vital, we may miss the point, and sometimes we miss great opportunities.
 
The same thing happens with hiring managers and recruiters all the time.
 
They get fixated on one skill set, one profile of candidate, and ignore everything else.  Their focus to find the needle in a haystack is causing them tunnel vision.
 
Because, when you’re so focused on finding one very specific skill or profile of candidate, you may very well be missing a diamond in the rough!
 
Expand your vision, broaden your search, and recognize talent in unexpected places!

I don't know what the weather’s like for you, but here in Massachusetts, it's COLD. Winter has officially arrived!

When the weather's cold like this, I always think of my kids (ages 18 and 16).  They’re both distance runners and they train hard no matter the weather...rain or shine, hot or cold.

And in New England, no matter what time of the year it is, the weather can be very unpredictable.

That means they will inevitably be running in the cold, rain or snow every once in a while to get their training in.

When they were a little younger, it was also inevitable that one or both of them would finish their run and complain about how bad the weather is.

And, I would respond: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing."  I had heard this quotation from someone in the running community long ago and it stuck with me.

The same applies to your staff development and recruitment.

You see, just like New England, the metaphorical weather you face in business life is unpredictable.

Some days you have a fully staffed, happy and productive team.  And other days you find yourself up to your eyeballs in personnel and staffing issues.  But, that's just part of life as a manager.

And, it's like I tell my kids: “There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.”

In other words, as long as you've prepared and dressed properly to protect yourself, you don't have to be miserable when those cold or rainy days come around.

And that preparation comes in the form of building an atmosphere of success to attract top performers, continuously cultivating talent, and establishing a strong partnership with a trusted recruiter in your field.

You happen to lose a great employee?  No problem!

If you've mastered the art of talent attraction, you don't need to "get wet".  You'll be able go out and find a new (and perhaps better) employee to replace the one you lost.

You see, mastering the art of talent attraction and is like wearing a waterproof jacket in the rain...it's not going to stop the bad weather, but it will prevent you from getting soaked!