Almost every system has gaps, and they are nothing to be afraid of. In fact, gaps in systems give users ongoing opportunities to improve the system until it is finally flawless.

This is true for most HR gaps as well, according to thought leader Kelly Kubicek, CEO of Fulcrum HR Consulting, which focuses on human resources management and people strategy.

However, there’s beauty in finding those gaps and closing them to reveal a more seamless, inclusive, and holistic organization.

“There are gaps everywhere. If we know where our gaps are, we can fill them with strengths later, said Kubicek.

Getting to Root Issues

When Kubicek onboards clients for HR consulting, she tries to drill down and identify exactly what the client is looking for to improve their team. This is how Fulcrum HR finds what each client really needs from them. And it’s surprising how often the client has not identified the same root issues as Kubicek and her team found during their fact-finding.

They call this signature process their ‘Get Real Philosophy.’

“One thing we commonly see is companies that are blinded to the things they see every day — how colleagues talk to each other, workflows, and interactions that have become commonplace on teams,” said Kubicek.

She offered an example from two senior executive clients she recently worked with. After having them answer the initial questions, she also spoke to the employees before performing a deeper analysis of the HR issues at the company. The clients were shocked at what she came back with.

“When they saw their results of the Get Real Philosophy analysis to see where they should start and what their actions should be, the biggest feedback was that the tension between the two of them was the biggest stressor for the team. The employees could always hear them arguing, making it difficult to concentrate and remain relaxed. I’ve never heard a room so silent as when I delivered that news,” she said.

What is The Get Real Philosophy?

“Because of not being able to initially see our blindspots — or gaps — the Get Real Philosophy helps us identify where those gaps are on a team,” said the CEO, who is considered an expert at solving management and operational blockages.

Get Real is an acronym for a workplace philosophy. The first part isolates and identifies Gaps, Evaluates their impact, and Translates a way to solve them.

This portion of the intelligence-gathering stage identifies the problem, for example, between leadership and mid-level management. From there, it’s easy to evaluate that there is a lot at stake if these two groups can’t get along. As far as a way to solve them, their communication would have to be improved, and they need more opportunities to interact openly.

The ‘real’ part can be broken down to Real recognizes real, Expectations, Accountability, and Leadership.

In this portion of information collecting, Kubicek and her team often learn that the people closest to these issues don’t realize they exist. “Teams are blind to their potential and their own glass ceiling, and we identify that in the philosophy,” she shared.

And, far from being angry with her for pointing out the flaws in their ways, her clients often welcome her advice. After all, most companies won’t bankroll a consultant who shows up and tells them, ‘everything’s fine.’

‘Get Real Philosophy’ in Action

Self-aware organizations will get the most out of the ‘Get Real Philosophy’ since it does employ a measure of self-awareness and introspection. It’s also not for the faint of heart since it often reveals issues organizations would prefer not to deal with.

But, to be truly people-centric, organizations have to take good, long looks at their gaps, problems, and issues.

“These conversations are part of the process and are not warm and fuzzy. These are cold, prickly moments. They don’t feel great, but they are a necessity to growth, and it’s honorable when clients own their shortcomings and gaps and embrace a sense of vulnerability with their team that they may have never done before,” she said.

With these forward-thinking ideas surrounding gaps and solutions, Kubicek is helping HR departments in the country’s top companies become stronger, more united, and more human.

About Kelly Kubicek

Kelly Kubicek, CEO of Fulcrum HR Consulting, is on a mission to make HR more transparent. Fulcrum HR Consulting boasts vast HR experience, including accomplishments such as consolidating the entirety of over 9000 Nebraska state employees in one system in under 12 months and extensive work in Diversity and Inclusion efforts. To discover how to uplevel your HR Process visit www.fulcrumHRconsulting.com

Can you succeed in business and forge a career without a four-year or even two-year college degree? Without question. Among those who have done so are Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Rachel Ray, Sir Richard Branson, and David Malcolm, a highly successful San Diego entrepreneur with five decades of professional experience.

But should you count on being able to succeed without a traditional college degree? Well, that depends on what you want to do, but it is likely to be a steeper path to the top.

Education is More Than a Degree

Every individual is different and every life path is different, but as David Malcolm has found – education is a critical success factor. Education comes in many forms.

“I did not earn a traditional college degree, but I benefitted tremendously from education. While still in high school, I earned my real estate license and went into the industry in which, 50 years later, I still ply my trade, loving (almost) every moment,” said Malcolm.

“My formal education included earning my CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation, considered the gold standard for commercial real estate professionals. I even took the first class during my honeymoon!”

Later in life, Malcolm was fortunate enough to go through the Harvard Business School’s Presidents Program and today is a distinguished Harvard Business School contributing lecturer, giving lectures to smart, young people on an annual basis.

The School of Hard Knocks

Pretty much an unavoidable form of “education” comes via the school of hard knocks.

Malcolm began his real estate career at 18, full of youthful energy and fresh perspective, which enabled him to work long hours and see new ideas, but he faced obstacles. Unfortunately, young business professionals can be dismissed as rookies because of their lack of experience.

“I ultimately overcame that through perseverance (not accepting no as an answer) and relationships with mentors who shared their failures and helped me avoid their mistakes. I strongly advise anyone, especially entrepreneurs, to seek out mentors and treasure the education you receive from them. Consider them to be professors of real life … because they are,” shared Malcolm.

“Another very hard knock came when I sold a property in my first six months in business. My commission was $100,000 (in 1972). But the seller hired an attorney who told me I could take $50,000 then or sue them and win, but it would take three years. I took the $50,000 … a very expensive educational opportunity.”

Pros and Cons of a College Degree

Let’s turn this around and start with the cons. College is expensive and the cost is skyrocketing. According to U.S. News, the total cost of a college education has doubled in the past 20 years. Now student debt is a hot topic these days and with good reason. According to the same source, student borrowing increased 25 percent from the class of 2009 to the class of 2021.

Money talks, and sometimes it screams and presents insurmountable obstacles.

On the other hand, a college degree has real perceived value and gives you a considerable advantage. A degree is still a requirement to even apply for many, if not most, jobs.

And a college education is designed to provide exposure to a very broad base of knowledge, ideas and ways of thinking. That broadens your thinking and perspective in ways that pay off big time in a career. According to Malcolm, “It is a ‘booster rocket’ to a better life, especially if you come from a family that did not have degrees or need to overcome personal adversity.”

That’s why Malcolm and his wife personally support colleges and college scholarships for those who have overcome obstacles and face others in their chosen path. The David Malcolm Scholarship was created precisely for that.

Consider the Options

There are numerous ways to get a career-focused education other than college or university, especially today. There are certificate programs (like the CCIM), apprenticeships (yes, those still exist), vocational education opportunities and a myriad of online options.

You don’t need a college degree to become an air-traffic controller, dental assistant, detective, sports coach or stylist. And you don’t need one to start your own business.

“A term I grew up with, but don’t hear so much anymore is ‘on-the-job training’. Never underestimate the value of OJT because that is real-world education,” said Malcolm.

How Do You Decide?

Whatever path you take, take education seriously and seek it out. Again, always find mentors to impart their hard-earned wisdom. Try different things … even different paths or different careers. Don’t be afraid to try and fail – maybe dropping out of college if it isn’t working for you.

“What is important is to pick yourself back up again and to learn from the experience. And then keep going. Persistence pays.

“Take the long view – something that seems to be out of favor lately. Look at your life from a perspective of decades, not months or even years.

“The bottom line is that you will never have a greater opportunity than your preparation will allow you to make of it. Preparation requires education … whatever that means for you. Whether that includes a traditional college degree or not is up to you,” concluded Malcolm.

More About David Malcolm

With a five-decade track record of excellence in the real estate industry, David Malcolm is the President of Cal West Apartments in San Diego, CA, which has provided financing and homes for thousands of residential and commercial clients. He has also served in several civic offices and is a generous contributor to many public and private organizations.

Scarlet Mick wants to help other women on the entrepreneurial path. Whether they are female founders, woman owners, or CEOs, she believes that the pearls of wisdom she collected along the road to success can help other powerful women on the same path.

The Denver tech company that she co-founded, TECOBI, is revolutionizing the auto sales industry, thanks to her very astute business strategizing and some savvy software engineering on the part of her partner-in-both-senses-of-the-word Jason Girdner.

TECOBI is an innovative tech startup that bridges the formerly wide communication gap between buyers and auto salespeople. Using AI-integrated technology, TECOBI assists thousands of car dealerships across the US in automated lead follow-up that prospective customers also love.

Her product allows car buyers to start the buying process over text messages, asking all their questions about options, safety features, and financing over SMS. For many, this saves them the time of driving out to the dealership early in the buying process, and it keeps them from being pressured into buying too quickly by pushy car salespeople.

Here are Mick’s favorite tips for female founders that are ready to find the same level of success that she enjoys today.

Believe in Your Dream

Mick is the first to admit that entrepreneurship is not an easy path, and your brain will get in your way at every twist and turn in the road.

“There will be failures, there will be bad days and days when too many bills are piling up. But, to be honest, this was our third attempt to make this project a success. The first two tries failed miserably, and we were getting into debt. But I believed in Jason, and I believed in myself, and I really believed in the product we were creating; that’s what kept me going in the dark times,” she explained.

She says that writing down why your dream is important and why it will eventually work was helpful to her. She also went through periods where she did daily affirmations in the mirror to help her stay focused and not let negative self-talk derail her motivation and dreams.

Learn to Love the Hard Days

Do you think 23andMe Founder Anne Wojcicki or Away CEO Steph Korey never had a failure to deal with or a bad day to contend with? Of course, they did. Being a female entrepreneur, you need to learn to roll with the punches, but more than that, Mick suggests that you learn to enjoy each rough patch and embrace it as a learning experience.

“The thing is, those days are certainly the hardest, but they are also the ones that force you to grow, innovate, and learn. And isn’t that really what we’re here for?” asked Mick.

As she explained, you don’t get your best ideas — the ones that will land — until all the previous ones have failed.

Be Okay with Making a Mess

Starting a business isn’t neat, easy, or comfortable. Along the way, there will be naysayers, there will be critics, and sometimes they will be your best friends and family. But that’s okay; you’re starting your business and pursuing your dream for you, not them.

Expect to experience investors that back out, meetings that go wrong, late nights, and far too much coffee. But, remember, you’re in good company; all founders have gone through this.

“The best business minds have ideas far outside the mainstream, sometimes even shockingly so,” mused Mick. She referenced Classpass Co-founder Payal Kadakia, who had to listen to why her idea of letting app users access exclusive gyms and classes would not work for years before investors and gym chains got on board. Her company was valued at $1 billion before it was acquired by Mindbody last year.

Know Your Subject Matter

Every emerging field will constantly change, and female founders must stay up-to-date on every development. This means reading trade news religiously and continuously learning more about your niche.

Mick also attends networking events, conferences, and virtual events. She connects with others in the industry and gives back to the community by sharing her knowledge as an occasional conference speaker or moderator.

“If people consider you an expert, they’re going to be that much more likely to listen to your elevator pitch and give your dream a chance to blossom,” said Mick

With tips like these, perhaps we’ll dust off our entrepreneurial dreams and see what we can make happen!

About Scarlet Mick and TECOBI

Jason Girdner & Scarlet Mick are the Founders of TECOBI, an advanced communication and advertising solution of SMS/Text conversations for the automotive industry. Served thousands of automotive companies through their industry changing software. To learn more please www.tecobi.com