Retiree Energy

Leading Flashfood has brought me back to my roots on cost management. I've not felt the real-time impact of results this clearly since being part of our family business as a kid, nor been this focused on pennies since my time working at Walmart.  It’s been very good for me, and has awakened a ruthless frugality that had been dormant.  But that competes with another truth: small businesses have to do the same things as big businesses, they just don’t have as many specialized professionals to do it.

As I looked around I saw many people solving this with third party relationships, but micro-services don’t always have the same commitment to the cause as people who wake up and see the week-to-date recap and care about it deeply.  Another option I saw was hiring more entry-level talent, banking on the potential and hustle that they would bring.  This is absolutely the right thing in some areas, but not all of them – experience matters a lot when dealing with regulatory matters.  It left me in the paradox of wanting something you just cannot afford; a seasoned professional with confidence and drive to just handle things.

The challenge:  how do we afford hiring 30 year experts in a 7 year old company?

The answer was something that I’m convinced has been a difference maker for our company, tapping into those who retired opportunistically (early) and are open to part-time work.  Without overstating it, game-changer!  There are a number of people who fit this new classification of teammates at our company, all of whom have helped us level up.  One particular one I want to highlight today brings 40 years of Human Resources experience but still has the exuberance of a 20 year old.

Meet Shirley Moore, an Architect of Joy

Shirley and I met in 2013 when I relocated from Chicago to central PA, taking on a new leadership role for Ahold USA.  One of the first questions I asked was who my HRBP would be, and shortly thereafter was introduced to Shirley.  She had recently been responsible for a massive financial services function, and had done a number of different specialized roles before that.  I’m not sure how she felt about being assigned to my team, but her leader told me she was “the absolute best” to help manage all of the change management we’d be activating across the companies.

I knew we were going to get along just fine when the first thing she said was something along the lines of, “are you old enough to have this job?”  Laughter was the glue that held us together when we navigated hard conversations, seemingly impossible decisions, and unexpected problems that we needed to find a solution for.

But far more than just great jokes, Shirley also earned the nickname “Shirleyficient” for how incredible she was at creating and executing HR projects, especially when it came to total population initiatives such as Open Enrollment.  How she found the time to personally connect with hundreds of people I do not know, yet that’s always the impression people had.  Shirley was everywhere, seemingly all at once.

When Shirley retired it left a gap in the organization she finished with, but it also created a gap in her schedule.  That gap wasn’t completely filled with her family, her passions, and her service to others – there was more space, and so she was open to part-time work.  And as it turned out, Flashfood’s People team needed a great HR Generalist to help with some new work.

What makes a great HR Business Partner

As you move into functional management (senior VP) roles, you begin to need expertise at your table similar to what a general manager (chief executive) needs.  At a minimum, a Finance Business Partner and a People Business Partner, but potentially more depending on what your function delivers to the overall organization.  

Regardless of how many people are on your team they deserve to have access to talent management services, learning and development opportunities, and simple access to the total rewards your organization has created for their role.  When they have all of this they feel included and supported and are more likely to hit or exceed the expected performance.  Without it, they just aren’t as likely to succeed. The manager with only the best of intentions will likely fall short of delivering all of this, which is why HR Business Partners are critical to success.

Why early stage companies need this

As Flashfood has taught me, scaling a company is very much about addressing technical debt.  But I would submit it’s also paying down your talent debt.  Loyalty is such an important quality, but in itself isn’t enough to deliver great work.  You need the match of skills, experiences, and thought leadership to move to the next level – and People Business Partners can help move those forward who can scale, identify the gaps where people cannot scale or no expertise exists, and then begin to plan for what is next versus what is just now.  

I believe that Talent Management is one of the most strategic activities an organization can take, and just like you won’t build a budget without a Finance professional, you shouldn’t build a work plan without a Talent professional.

Shirley brought this and more to our People team, giving them courage from her experiences and confidence from her longevity.  She added decades of experience in only 10 hours a week, upgrading the entire company in the process.

Here are a few other things you should know about Shirley Moore:

1. She is authentically kind to others, seeing the value in them often before they see the value in themselves.  People who engage with her feel better after doing so, even when it’s a challenging conversation.  
2. She always finds a way to hit the deadline, and that way is never by cutting corners.  She delivers completely, on time, regardless of the obstacles.  More often than not this comes from tenacious follow up with whomever is the bottleneck to completion … so best to be on time when she’s involved!
3. Shirley has very deep convictions about life, spanning politics and faith to family and sports.  Never one to try and fit in to what others think, she’s always one to stand out for what she thinks; yet with a grace that makes it anything but offensive.
4. She loves creating amazing food, and uses that as a way to bring people together.  Her sons would back me up on this one, as will her grandchildren and husband.  Anyone who calls her family or friend knows that Shirley could have been a chef instead of an HR professional.
5. She is courageous and never avoids conflict.  She doesn’t look for a fight, but has never backed down from the truth of a situation.  This shows up in her investigations and her negotiations, totally fearless.

Following the Architect's Design

Each of us has the opportunity to contribute a lot to those around us, and there is no reason to jump out of the game too early.

• Stay other-focused, not counting yourself more important than whoever else is in the conversation.  Even if you’re the smartest person in the room, never act like it.
• Let your work product be seen as incredible, whatever that may be.  Some people want to be at the table and be seen, other people want to do great work so it makes things better.  You’ll be seen either way.
• Build up others when they lack confidence, helping them understand that they really do deserve to be where they are, doing what they’re doing.  Few people have as much confidence as they may project, be a confidence giver instead of a confidence drainer.
• Don’t think of retirement as the end of your work, there are needs you can answer regardless of your age or tenure.  New professionals earnestly want to learn from you, even if they don’t say so.

Know someone like Shirley? Give them your gratitude today, and never stop learning from them. The world needs more joy, and it can start with you.