This weekend my whole family went to see Jack The Giant Slayer. We love going to movies in general, and I have to say that I enjoyed this take on an old fairy tale because it gave it a new spin. Jack was truly involved in the tale as a hero with character and not someone who was out to dupe the giant.
It got me thinking about HR because EVERYTHING can be tied back to HR !! So often I find myself, and my peers, getting stuck on the minute and minuscule things at work. We spend endless time and effort on something that gives us angst, but has little to do with the scheme of things in general.
Why is that? Why does our focus jump to something so insignificant? Do we feel that if we address whatever it is, we’ll be free and unfettered to do something amazing? No, in most cases we jump to the next small item.
In the movie Jack and the princess “long for adventure” in their lives. Both feel that there is something out across the horizon that will bring excitement, thrills all mixed with the knowledge that the “unknown” is driving them. That’s what I long for as well !!
HR should never been mundane or minimized !! Seriously, when you have the chance to work with people, the landscape of what can happen is truly endless. What would happen to your perspective if you saw every day as an adventure and that there were giants out there for you to go after and slay? I’m telling you that you would be geeked and couldn’t wait until the next challenge showed up !!
Many HR people I meet are exasperated with their work and they don’t understand why HR truly invigorates me. I honestly don’t know if I can explain it. It’s just the way I’ve always approached it. I’m not naive. I know there are daunting aspects to HR. But, to me they’re an adventure !!
So, this week see where your adventure can begin. Identify the giants that are in your path and seek them out instead of avoiding them. Take hold of your corner of the HR kingdom and jump in with both feet !! When you do, our paths may cross because I am already seeing what’s next on the unknown horizon !!
It might be good for your soul. Take a note from the great group They Might Be Giants !!
Image courtesy of Film.com
Thanks for the great reminder, Steve! The “adventure” is really what I love about my job and it’s sometimes easy to forget that when I caught up in the day-to-day “mundane” stuff! Also, thanks for the “80’s Flashback” with the TMBG video! I needed that today! 🙂 (You ROCK!)
Like the analogy, we all have our Giants to Slay! Some days, not sure where to start!
Steve, you are so right. Working with people is what makes winning and losing in business a very worthwhile and exciting endeavor. We are unpredictable, we can make or break a business. But, intentional and genuine leadership can sway the odds. Getting people to care about customers and do the right thing can energize them, unleash them to join in the “dance”, to make a difference. It’s really fun to watch this, to facilitate a ‘can do’ culture.
Jumping in with both feet! Thanks for the “80′s Flashback” it made me smile!!!
Steve,
Love this article. HR needs to learn to stand up and be the champion for their organization. The days of quiet, meek HR people is over.
Great stuff!
Great stuff – thanks so much for publishing, this speaks to many things I believe in as HR practitioner. I believe we sit in one of the most fascinating seats in a corporation – a collective of ideas and efforts – and get to represent the human side of the machine, discovering who we as participants and those we support can become and achieve with the right opportunities and collective energy.. every day becomes an adventure in exploring what is possible in this arena of evolving business, the theory of what humans are capable of creating together.
Should also mention ‘birdhouse in your soul’ must be one of my favourite tracks, sing it at the top of my lungs to my kids to their great embarrassment!
Please keep sharing Steve.