Are We Too Hard on Ourselves In HR? A Twitter Conversation
Some tweets just snag your heart strings: “@Frannyo: wonder if we’re too hard on ourselves in HR? I’ve never seen IT or Accounting be so introspective? Maren Hogan replied HR is the only one with “Human” in our title. I thought that was classic, and I was hooked. (@sharon_lauby @megbear)
As I read this question, I asked myself the very thing, and wondered, how much of this is based on temperament? According to MBTI and David Kiersey, People tend to focus their attention, gather information, make decisions, and take action based on temperament related preferences. According to Kiersey, Introverts are drawn to Accounting, Engineering and IT. Plenty of Introverts are also drawn to Human Resources (as are extroverts). The point is introspection, as @HRFishbowl says Introversion is healthy when we are channeling it into something positive. He replied to the thread, will someone please blog about this? I answered the call: Introspection is only problematic when we use it as a bully club and start beating ourselves over the head with it, I replied. This brought up a few questions.
Is HR hard on itself, or are employees hard on HR? Isn’t the point to just stop being hard on ourselves period? Are we hard on ourselves because we are engaged, and because we care?
My colleague Karla Porter warned that “HR needs to be careful because there is a fine line between being engaged and being an enabler. HR should not be a scapegoat. HR should have a seat at the table, and not be blindfolded then handed a mop to clean up the messes.” With that said, with the recession we’ve seen reduced budgets, plant closings, record-braking unemployment, and dysfunctional organizational dynamics. It’s no wonder we are asking ourselves these questions.
HR Professionals are just now beginning to see the tip of economic recovery- where do we go from here?
While temperament plays into how individuals respond, organization cultures will often dictate how people within departments and positions take action. If the system is stressed, so are its people. Certainly human resource professionals will function better if the organizational culture is healthy. If the culture is toxic, people in Accounting, IT, and HR will suffer equally.
Is the problem systemic? Franny Oxford answered “I’m not sure we are too hard on ourselves HR,” but wonder rather if that might not be the case—the question is do we fail to study systems that keep it all in place? Her question and tweet resonnated with me. In the final analysis, HR Professionals have to be the thought leaders-and-reframe the dialogue.
The debate is not that of nature verses nurture. The debate ought to center around Human Resources and Organizational Culture—will your culture allow for introspection, open dialogue, and input? Do our HR systems allow for growth and renewal? (Perhaps we should all read Karla Porter’s blog post from Sunday 10-25).
Great post! I think the key is what you do with the introspection. Do you use it to improve? I hope that is where the conversation leads.
-M
Interesting post however HR Professionals created the poor image people have of them and while the economy begins to recover they need to reinvent themselves and their image within an organization or begin to fall even lower on the food chain.
I have posted many times how HR is a Huge Industry but a Small World. HR professionals in all Companies need to look at what they have to offer because they are no longer needed to be just the Watchdog of a Company or the person who keeps up with EEO issues or HR Laws, there are too many outside vendors that offer those same services for a cost far less to an Employer than a FTE Salary, Benefits and any other contributable benefits.
While I begin to see some economic recovery, HR is not an area that will recover anytime soon.
Perhaps a TV Reality Show called “Putting the Human back in Human Resources” will solve the problem seems as though Reality TV solves ever other crisis we have today.
Paul, today I met with a successful career woman whose husband is close to retirement. His company is in turmoil. He wasn’t sure which office to contact to inquire about his 401K and to get rudimentary information. He left several voicemails, did not know how to reach a person, and it took 4 days for him to hear back from someone. At first, I thought this might be off topic, but then after reading your post, and then Charlie’s I just sighed. There’s no easy answers. I think first, we have to fix the system–and take a good organizational systems approach to HR. Is there a causal relationship between yes, thats clear, but the organization system and culture has more to do with the problem…and its subsequent cure.
Thanks, Margo, for heeding the call to blog on this. I think we’re walking a fine line here. It’s kind of like when someone says “I’m just joking” after issuing an insult. There’s obviously something behind that “joke.” If we, as an industry, are more critical of ourselves, there must be something behind it. Is it that our industry evolves more quickly than others? I don’t think so – IT can’t be evolving any slower than we. Is it that we’re more sensitive to our shortcomings because we know we still have something to prove and, therefore, have less room for error? Maybe, but I think most of us are over the “needing to prove” part. Is it that people who gravitate toward HR are naturally more introspective to begin with (as Maren suggests)? Maybe that’s it. I have to be careful here, though, because I’ve begun to blog about the “rougher edges” of the HR profession…a veritable critique…mostly because I think there’s still a disconnect between how we see our profession and/or our value to the organization vs. how others see it. In that vein, I think sometimes we’re not critical enough of ourselves. Maybe we need to be listening more to what others are (really) saying about us, rather than what we’re saying about ourselves. Doesn’t mean the others are right, but it means we get a chance to do something about it.
Great post and welcome to the blogsphere!
I really like the thoughts about there being a fine line in HR between engagement and enabler. Great call to action too about introspection, open dialogue, growth and renewal.
Good food for thought here and some great comments too.
It’s great to see the honesty and openness in your post, though as a fellow ENFP I wouldn’t expect anything else!!
I find most HR professionals to be open and honest, which is refreshing, but as I often say when prepping for interview…honesty is great, it’s what we all want in our lives, but too much honesty can become confessional…and I think this is where prt of the problem may lie.
When a group of people – team, department or even company – become too inward looking their eye is off the ball. These are tough times and, as you say, budgets have been cut, offices/plants closed, staff made redundant. Your client groups are suffering and are becoming inward looking, and I think it is in the nature of the HR professional to reflect this.
Having said that, I think this is a great opportunity for HR to grab the agenda, and get people outward looking. Frannyo was right…IT, accounting and other teams do not usually have moments of self doubt, mainly because they know exactly what their role in the business is and what they do to make the business function. HR doesn’t always have this luxury, but with most businesses totally reliant on their staff to be engaged, pull together and see them through the tough times, I believe that HR is in poll position to make a positive, commercial contribution.
It comes down to being outward looking, business facing and defining the role that HR can play in taking the business forward.
Excellent dialog and varied comments. I have had the good professional fortune to always feel valued and appreciated in HR and really in every job I have had over the past 30 years.
I know of a mid-sized company looking to replace their HR Generalist because while the person is fantastic at the mundane clerical functions I personally abhor, the strategic, people savvy manager piece is missing. Smart companies put people with leadership skills in the primary HR office not just people who know policy and passed a test. So, was this a bad hire, a bad fit? It looks like it. When your interviewer is not very knowledgeable about HR or your position I guess that could happen. I think it probably happens often. The skills are not as technical as say medicine and neither are the educational or background requirements. Employers put a lot of faith in their HR leaders and I would hope while lots of people like a good challenge they don’t bite off more than they can chew. If you knowingly do that and then you’re not happy, well then bad on you.
I once had a VP tell me that HR managers have a title because companies give people titles. He went on to say that the HR manager role is irregardless of the title and they must act in the capacity of the highest authority. That means being a thought leader, decision maker and mentor, doing things right and doing the right things. That’s the best professional advice I think I ever received. Thank you Anaba.
I understand the economy and unemployment rate and how challenging it is to conduct a successful job search these days. However, I suggest everyone, in HR and every other profession, interview the interviewer, conduct company research, network behind the scenes to get the real scoop and understand what they are about to get into when they accept a job offer. HR is a “hot” job where everyday you can expect to be in the hot seat. If the C-Level staff isn’t going to be behind you then don’t go there if you’re looking for job satisfaction and longevity. If you have to take a job because you need an income not because you have the luxury or ambition of a career move then longevity isn’t your main concern anyway, a pay check is so do what you have to until you stabilize.
I’m not sure where the germination of this prevalent topic in our profession started, why we are doubting ourselves. Maybe it’s the amount of downsizing we’ve had to and continue to have to do and the guilt we feel, or the amount of work we’ve had to assume (including “other duties as assigned” as a result). Whatever the reason, we could collectively use an injection of self-esteem. We need to be motivating one another and sharing laughs about the human condition and what we do. We need to help one another by continuing to share best practices and teaching one other about new technology, employment law, P&L statements, time management, leadership skills and anything else that will make us better practitioners.
We need to empower ourselves and each other to lead.
I think the question is bigger than this, “What is HR?”. I’m not convinced that is defined. I posed the question recently on mike VanderVort’s blog Human racehorses. The replies i got were more to do with politics than solutions. I think somtimes that is the problem in this field.
From a recruiters point of view, HR seem to be increasing the power base and getting more involved in corporate direction, planning and operational resourcing through dedicated teams. These teams adopt new titles and this in turn changes the perception of what HR do. I have noticed that on staffing matters, you have become far more involved in the procurment and hiring process and have far more decision making power than i remember.
You also have a role and responsibility to protect the company from littigation. That generally means telling people “No” and the messenger is never popular even though it’s not your law, it’s just the law. i believe you suffer most in perception because of this.
As a last thought, good HR is invisible because you make things work, poor HR stands out massively. The good practioners will therefore go un-noticed, and as a result unapreciated. Perhaps you should do the job badly occasionaly in order to stand out!
@BillBoorman
Good points. I believe that we are hard on ourselves. Call it the self consciousness of trying to be a strategic and viable force that contributes to the business. I referred a little to this in my post on “Why doesn’t HR make more of an impact” http://rethinkhr.org/2009/10/perception-why…make-an-impact/
I would respectfully disagree on the “poor HR stands out massively.” Why I do know that the bad can stand out, if you are good you more often become a beneficial partner that is sought out rather than ignored.
Thanks
Excellent point, Benjamin. We I could write an entire piece on HR and MBTI and DiSC. The was the direction I first started to go when I wrote this. Then I realized that it would be a book, not a blog piece. As you suggest, HR should be making more of an impact. My question to you is why don’t you think it does? HR has a seat at the executive table now more than it ever has before. We are the new HR is the new PR,as my colleague @blogging4jobs suggests that our behavior, the way we treat others has an effect on the PR of the organization. What we do speaks volumes about ourselves and how we represent our profession. What we forget to do says even more. I’m so glad you commented.