Living in a Digital World

“Welcome to Cyberspace, I’m lost in the fog, everything’s digital, I’m still analog…” Joe Walsh captured the cry of a generation in these lyrics from his song Analog Man in 2012.  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLaQUU_VLMk). 

We live in a world where the new catch phrase you hear around every corner is, “going digital…”  What does that mean?  What does it entail?  Who is up for the challenge?

For generations USA TODAY has been synonymous with a paper product, but to compete in this new world there had to be a change, really a transformation.  I joined Gannett two years ago to be part of that transformation.  100 years of history.  100 years of success.  100 years of connecting communities.  Connect.  Act.  Thrive. 

We spun out on our own two years ago and have made tremendous progress.  I am proud of our employees.  Our team.  We have stood up a new business and become #OneNetwork.

The USA Today network is a great source of pride as we are the only media company that truly can connect local-to-national and then back to local.  We have 3600 plus journalists all over the country.  We have done some great investigative journalism.  The bad teacher’s stories, the lead in the water, the gymnastic coaches, and many more.  These all happen at a local level but when we have the ability to string these together across the country to a national platform – this is what fuels the passions of great journalists.  This has also led to many awards. 

Just recently our talented news teams at The Desert Sun, Fort Myers News-Press, and Detroit Free Press were recognized for their recent national Edward R. Murrow Award honors:

• The Desert Sun was awarded the Small Digital News Organization News Documentary award for its outstanding work on Freed But Forgotten: A Proposition 47 Investigation. This piece aimed to uncover just how Proposition 47 - a ballot measure passed to offer mental health and substance abuse treatment as an alternative to incarceration - affected California's criminal justice system.

• The News-Press took home two Murrow awards: the first for Excellence in Writing for its series "Save Our Water" and one for its incredible coverage of Craig Sager's very public cancer battle - his third - which ultimately took his life.

• Detroit Free Press won two Murrow awards in the Large Digital News Organization category.  Predator/Prey: The Fight for Isle Royale Wolves was named for its Excellence in Video. The piece looked at how the National Parks Service is dealing with the dwindling numbers of wolves and the juxtaposition of a booming moose population on Isle Royale.

• The Free Press was also honored in the News Documentary category for its reporting on the Flint water crisis - more specifically Don't Forget About Flint. This documentary gave our readers an up close look at the people of Flint, Michigan and shined quite a light on the faces of their day to day suffering, which one resident described as "like being in war, but without violence." Reporters at the Free Press were at the forefront of this issue from the time it was first discovered, and their coverage helped lead the way for change in the Flint community.

The Murrow Awards have showcased excellence in electronic journalism every year since 1971, and have long been considered a prestigious honor among the journalism community. This is another incredibly proud moment for the USA TODAY NETWORK, and I applaud each and every one of you for continuing to produce first-class content for our consumers.

Great journalism covers many platforms.  Yes the “paper” still exists, but we also serve over 110 million uniques.  We have a digital presence with the Millennials that is larger than Vice or Vox.  We are building great things at Gannett.  I came here from AOL on the promise that we will build the next 100 years of success and we are on our way.  Mostly because of the great culture and great talent we are developing and also bringing in to join our journey. 

“Becoming a meaningful part of a consumer’s daily life both requires and makes possible a new set of realities—one where our sense-making and storytelling skills must emerge in more fluid, personalized products and experiences; where our passion for finding the common ground makes us the go-to resource for those looking to transcend bias; where our brands enjoy new relevance with the next generation of media consumers; where our deeply loyal users have become our greatest advocates; where our unique nationwide presence has established a network that spans the nation’s communities; and where SMBs turn to us as an indispensable partner in growing their businesses. This future, where our consumers, marketers, employees and investors thrive, is built on the bedrock of loyal, daily relationships.”  -Bob Dickey, President and CEO of Gannett

It is hard work changing systems, simplifying processes, breaking old habits – but it is rewarding seeing change and growth.  I took my chips and pushed them all in – come join us at Gannett and challenge yourself.

Together.  We.  Win.  

Dave Harmon

People Division

“Kindness is Currency”

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr

Follow Dave and other USA TODAY NETWORK highlights at: Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,  Facebook, The Muse and Gannett Careers

Think. Then Post...

Harvard, Chipotle, Yelp, Cisco, Bank of America, Taco Bell and even Glee….

What do they all have in common?  Well, they have dismissed folks because of their social media posts.  We live in a day of instant and (mostly) unfiltered communication.  I deal with employee social media issues almost weekly now.  Many of these issues are related to inappropriate messages, tone and words…some even pictures.  People lose jobs.  Smart kids lose scholarships.  Relationships end.  With the new polarizing political climate, I see even more (on both sides) worrisome content being posted.  We live in a new world.

Additionally, the push for everything on one device is not helping – meaning your “Friday night out” phone is also your business phone which means your college buddies and your current coworkers are both in your contacts – a recipe for disaster with the audience size these days.  Facebook has over a billion eyeballs, Twitter can explode virally in an instant with the wrong message, LinkedIn is becoming more and more personal.  More users, faster uptake, quicker criticism, more issues … just ask United Airlines.

What protections do we have?  First Amendment – mostly designed to protect us from the government – not private companies.  The NRLB offers some protections – mostly limited to organizing activities.  Retaliation protections are very specific - a number of federal and state laws protect employees from retaliation for reporting certain types of problems (discrimination, harassment, unsafe working conditions, and so on), off-duty conduct laws exist in some states (prohibiting employers from disciplining employees for what they do on their personal time), and even less states provide protection from discipline for posting political beliefs or activities.  These are generally work-related.

What I am speaking about today are personal thoughts, comments and photos -  as Forrest Gump stated so eloquently, “stupid is as stupid does.”

• From an article in People magazine, “I had to fire someone for this. He was a volunteer firefighter and left for a call which I allowed. Fifteen minutes later someone showed me his five minute-old post of him riding quad-runners saying something along the lines of ‘Sometimes you just need to F-off from work.’ That put him on a final warning. He then left because he said HIS house was on fire then half-an-hour later his wife tagged him in a photo of him sitting in a kiddie pool in front of his house. The funny thing is, in both cases, if he had simply asked to leave early I probably would have said yes.” 

• From an article on CNN.com, Carly "@CarlyCrunkBear" McKinney, a tenth-grade math teacher, had a very controversial Twitter account that the school she worked for discovered. Her employers were not happy and placed her on administrative leave.  Her students thought her racy photos and tweets about marijuana and club music were pretty cool, though, and protested online to get her back. She was fired in the end.

• From the NY Daily News, “Bank of America employee fired after racist Facebook rant, thousands of social media complaints sent to her bosses.” 

• And finally, from Harvard (courtesy of ABC news), “At least 10 students kicked out of incoming Harvard class due to racist, inappropriate memes.”

It could become the next great piece of parental advice, following “don’t run with scissors” and “eat your vegetables” – let’s add “be careful what you post.”  As managers get smarter about social media (and Facebook privacy settings change/update daily) it is increasingly silly to assume that those old (college??) photos of you double-fisting shots won't come back to haunt you—and maybe even wreak havoc on your career. An incredible 93% of recruiters check out social media profiles of prospective hires.  So, remember your boss, co-workers, clients, and hiring managers can see your most polarizing tweets, even if they aren't following you. And even if your Facebook profile looks like a vault, anyone can see images you're tagged in.  Type in "photos of Dave Harmon (or your name may be more exciting)" into the search window and see what Facebook shows you.  Surprised?

Among the most common reasons cited to CareerBuilder for turning down candidates:

• Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information (53 percent)
• Candidate posted content about them drinking or using drugs (44 percent)
• Candidate bad-mouthed their previous employer, co-workers or clients (35 percent)
• Candidate showed poor communication skills (29 percent)
• Candidate made discriminatory comments (26 percent)
• Candidate lied about qualifications (24 percent)
• Candidate shared confidential information from previous employer (20 percent)

So, what are some examples you probably should not post?  Well, this is not a scientific list like CareerBuilder, but let’s start with examples: too many drinking photos or other substances (you know those photos – think New Year’s Eve, THAT wedding, etc.), complaints about your current or past employers (“Acme Co. has no clue”), making fun of your boss (“Dave is a real …”), making fun of prospective companies (“doing nothing today, just working because of the paycheck”), enjoying the good life posts/photos when you call in sick (“look at me skiing at Whiteface while my coworkers are at their desks”), confidential or time-sensitive information (“we are going public tomorrow”), overly personal information (think TMI from some of your friends this past weekend), and the most amusing “look what I got away with” posts.

Remember, once it is posted – it is always posted.  How many celebrities have posted something, then took it down 30 seconds later and people already have screenshots?  How many people have lost jobs or careers due to poor choices? How many posts can be copied and/or forwarded?  How will your words come across?

Ask yourself "would I be embarrassed if someone saw this in the future?" These days, anything you post can very quickly go viral and be passed on to thousands of people.  There really aren't any secrets on the wide world of the inter-webs.  You might think that your meaning is clear when you post a comment, but it's easy for misunderstandings to occur.  Even posting on your Facebook that you're going away on vacation is advertising that your house is going to be empty.  It's best to behave as if everything you post can be viewed by the whole world.  This can save you from a lot of future embarrassment – or that dreaded call from Grandma….

Dave Harmon

People Division

“Kindness is Currency”

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr

Follow Dave and other USA TODAY NETWORK highlights at: Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,  Facebook, The Muse and Gannett Careers

The Dentist

How can a trip to the dentist correlate with the work place?  Well, as I sit in the dentist office waiting for my bi-annual checkup - it makes me think about my team.  To maintain good oral hygiene, it is recommended to see your dentist at least twice a year.  To maintain a great team, you should conduct a thorough talent review at least twice a year.

The dentist cleans our teeth, repairs broken teeth or cavities (that will only get worse), and instructs us on how to best maintain our teeth.  As leaders, we need to redirect and lead our people, we need “up skill” or move out under performers (like cavities, if we do not address these under performers, they usually get worse and affect the rest of the team), and we need to continue to raise the bar on expectations and work results.

Every so often we may need a root canal or dental surgery.  Although painful at the time, it will hopefully lead to improved functionality and long-term health.  If we improve our dental hygiene, we may not need it again.  Every so often we are challenged with reductions in force.  And yes, these are painful as well.  Hopefully, this happens infrequently and if we can improve the performance of our team it may not be needed in the future.

I think the moral of this story is that constant and consistent care of your team (or teeth) will lead to long term success (or health).   And that small investments every day will lead to a better end result.

The last question to ask is…why am I writing this from the dentist chair?  

Dave Harmon

People Division

“Kindness is Currency”

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr

Follow Dave and other USA TODAY NETWORK highlights at: Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,  Facebook, The Muse and Gannett Careers

Change Happens

Change.  For some of us that word is exciting.  For many it brings fear.  For some it means disruption.  And for others it may mean challenge.  For all of us – it is constant.

Whatever emotion it evokes, change is ever present.  The most successful organizations embrace and accept change.  They become adept in creating leaders (and a culture) to push forward.  The best companies have leaders who proactively challenge the status quo, proactively think about future success, and proactively create an environment that allows for change – not forces change.  It is not easy, but for any of us who manage teams – we need to embrace and understand how to best manage and lead change.

For many of our leaders, change is something we fear because it’s disruptive. It forces us to shift our perceptions or approaches about what we do and how we go about doing it. At the very least, it leaves us questioning our current assumptions and how close they really are to reality.  If there’s one thing organizations require today, it is leaders who are willing and capable of encouraging their employees to view change as an opportunity to gain a true understanding of their capabilities to overcome the challenges they’ll undoubtedly face in today’s faster-paced and evolving world.  When we look in the rear-view, we can see how far we have come.  One of the problems that gets in my way (and others) is this little thing called emotions.  We become hyper focused on the seemingly insurmountable obstacle ahead of us.  We more often than not achieve what we worry about – but we constantly stress over what is next….at least I do.  If I look back at my years at Pepsi, or AOL or even at the Federal Reserve Board – there were far too many times when I thought “there is no flippin’ way we can change this” – but we did.  Often it was because my boss had complete faith in me – or the organization had seen us make changes and believed we could do it again.  Don’t get me wrong, we had failures, but there have been a lot of successes over the years.  So why do I still stress.  Human nature I guess.  What I am sharing is that we all think these thoughts, have these worries and mostly achieve success when we are up against change.

Ten years ago, no one knew what a tweet was, or a snap was, or what an Uber was. Ten years ago, there were only 50 million people on Facebook and the only thing they liked to do was poke one another. Twenty years ago, text messaging was AIM (yes, I was at AOL for a decade).  Ten years ago, text messaging was mainly a business tool and not a platform that popularized the use of such terms as BFF, FOAF, IKR, LOML and 1000+ other acronyms. And ten years ago, the idea of an iPad did not exist.  Change is good.  I love Uber, I love my iPad, I use Facebook, I text my kids.  ALL.  THE.  TIME.

SO how do we all get better at managing change and the associated stress that accompanies change?  Mindset, process, visualization, subsets of work, history, faith – they all come into play.

Dr. Kotter (Kotter International) has eight steps for change: creating sense of urgency, building coalition, sharing strategic vision & initiatives, enlisting volunteers, enabling action, generating short-term wins, sustaining acceleration and instituting change.  Sounds easy (maybe that is why he is the “Dr.” and I am not).

How do we help others see the need for change and the speed to change? How do we help others WANT to change?  I want to feel enabled and motivated.

How do we find those on board with the idea that can guide, coordinate and communicate?  How do we find our ALLIES?  I want others to “take the hill” with me.

How do we clearly define the future that is different from today with a clear vision? How do we “paint” the picture of where we WANT to be?  How do I get crisper and better at “painting the picture”?

How do we get our teams to rally around the change?  How do we find the energy?  How do I stay positive and energetic in the face of adversity?

How do we remove barriers, inefficiencies, hierarchies, and enable cross company work?  How do we KNOW what the obstacles are?  How do I get my team to tell me what it IS vs what they think I should hear?

How do we find time to celebrate wins both large and small?  How do we understand when, who and how to celebrate?

How do we take that initial credibility with the team and use it to accelerate change (systems, structures, policies…)?  How do we prioritize between the “easy win” and the “needed win”?  How do I start momentum?

How do we take these changes and continue to tie them back to our successes (make new habits)?  I cannot even stop drinking Mt Dew…geez.

Dr. Kotter clearly lays out some structure, but the “how” is the challenge for all of us.  At the core of every change, is the desire for something new.  New thinking, new processes, new behaviors.  Sometimes, “one change” becomes many and can make an organization weary.  How do we re-energize during change?  Like many things it starts with us.  Leadership.  Energy.  Transparency.  Meaning.  Modeling.  Recognition.  Proof.  We need to authentically believe in the change and clearly communicate why it is good and how we can get there.  We also need to understand why people DO NOT want to change so we can discuss that as well.

How do we expand and think/act globally while also trying to make things simpler?  How do we push to be creative and innovative while also maintaining control and consistency?  How do we automate and utilize technology without losing our human touch?    These are tough leadership questions.  As I write this blog and reread my words on the screen, I realize there is not one answer or solution to these change issues – but rather a series of steps and communications to lead and help people understand.  

It always has to start with us as leaders.  We need to hold everyone accountable – all the way through.  Our teams notice when we overlook the problems.  They also notice when we address the problems. They look at how we respond.  They look at how we embrace change.  

We need to go beyond motivating and visions (although these matter).  We need to help find the resources to allow wins in the new environment.  We need to teach, lead by example and commit to relentless learning with our teams.  We need to be player and coach.  We need to direct and we need to listen.  We need to be part of the team versus just leading the team.

There are requirements to be an everyday leader; then there are requirements to be a change leader.  Change leadership requires different skills and abilities beyond the norm (think of a turnaround CEO or manager), not the least of which is being able to manage your day-to-day activities while transitioning toward the changed business. We need to be agile, flexible….open.  You can’t really afford to take your eye off either ball (current or future). 

We need to create a vision, communicate the vision, live the vision and own the vision.  We need to persevere. 

Finally, as I have communicated in the past – we need to be authentic and compassionate leaders.  I made it sound easier than it is, but the key take-away is to be “in it” with your team.  

Together.  We.  Win. 

Dave Harmon

People Division

“Kindness is Currency”

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr

Follow Dave and other USA TODAY NETWORK highlights at: Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,  Facebook, The Muse and Gannett Careers

Wednesday Fun Day

The value of community, the value of team, the value of social engagement.

For those of you who know me, you understand that I am a strong proponent of teleworking (tied to clear performance goals), a strong proponent of video conferencing, and a big fan of constant communications.  I also am a strong believer in one old school practice that I am adamant about.  Connecting.  For us at Gannett – this means Wednesday Fun Days.

What is a Wednesday Fun Day you ask?  Well, on the surface, the day is about having everyone physically in the office on a Wednesday.  We schedule in person meetings with teams, most (and sometimes all) employees are in the office on Wednesday.  We have important employee meetings.  It is the day to connect, communicate, collaborate and convene.   We also try to schedule an activity for the day.  Most often (and not so good for our collective bellies) it revolves around food, but other days it revolves around helping others – food drives, clothing drives, etc.  Also, sometimes we celebrate historical achievements or simple things like baseball’s Opening Day.  We look for points to connect on.  Food, charity, Opening Day, etc. are cross cultural – something for everyone from every background.  A good starting point in finding commonality and another step in breaking down barriers; an opportunity for the team to see each other as Moms, Dads, sports junkies, music lovers, readers, volunteers, Cancer support, dog lovers (cat lovers too), etc. and not just as the specialist whom “I email every other week for that report”.

I like to “break bread” with the team.  Gathering over a meal is one of the most ancient forms of community process; people sharing food appreciate each other at a profound level. Nourished bodies and relationships pave the way for better collaboration and a higher quality work.  Scientists have said that by meeting our core biological needs, feeding people creates a container for work at a deeper level. When we start to relate simply as people, judgments and trivial issues are dropped.  Sometimes this is called “primate food-sharing behavior,” because of the deep biological roots this has in forming belonging and familiarity. At the core of this, it means you have relaxed enough to put your (physical or rhetorical) weapons down and begin to trust each other. Eating with someone starts to make them a friend and not just a business peer.

And guess what?  This particular pattern of behavior is cross-cultural, as everyone everywhere eats.  I love walking back to our section in the building on a Wednesday between 11am and 1pm and see people gathered around the food table chatting (and these are folks who often are in different functions or teams).  They are building a better team by creating a community, and to build a great team it is about creating trust, rapport and comfort.  This is what occurs. (Full disclosure we had some fruit and veggie days and they did not go over as well, contrary to the popular claims that everyone was on a diet and wanted to eat healthy – thus, the beginnings of charitable drives).

Additionally, according to the Corporate Leadership Council, “engaged and satisfied employees feel a profound connection to their company, and are driven to help their employers succeed.” And—in addition to the obvious elements such as job duties, benefits and salary—culture is a major factor in how happy employees feel in their jobs.  Part of our culture is #OneTeam.  We consistently reinforce the collective efforts of the team, the progress of the team, and we speak to the failures of our team and our processes.  Building a “we first” culture is important to me, and after almost 30 years of leading – a key component in retaining our team.  We is not built with a single lever, but Wednesday Fun Days certainly help.  As leaders, we all need to find our “Wednesday Fun Days”.  What works for you and your collective team to help break down barriers and build trust?  The importance is not in the actual food or event but in the gathering and sharing.

"Gettin' good players is easy. Gettin' 'em to play together is the hard part." (Casey Stengel)

Together.  We.  Win.

Dave Harmon

People Division

“Kindness is Currency”

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr

Follow Dave and other USA TODAY NETWORK highlights at: Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,  Facebook, The Muse and Gannett Careers