Change the World !!

Something has been truly puzzling to me lately. In the swirl of events, there seems to be a larger and larger focus on upheaval and dismay versus anything positive. I am not naive and ache for the constant wave of tragedy that fills every form of media. Honestly I do take time to step away and reflect just to break the pattern.

It’s odd to me that we continue to pile on more and more negativity that is happening either to us, or around us, and we expect that the more we scream and tear things down that we’ll hit some basement. I don’t think it’s possible because your “bottom” may not even be close to what’s happening to others.

I do my best to personally fight this and encourage others on purpose. I find that even in doing that, there is a push back that occurs because people feel better if you suffer with them. Enough is enough. I will not fall into the trap that I need to tear things down in order to build things up. I just won’t.

Recently, as I was working out walking and sweating on a treadmill, I heard a song that I hadn’t heard in years. The song is “Change the World” by Eric Clapton. It is a beautiful song and the words just tear at me. It’s a song that he sings to another person claiming that he’d pull down a star and shine it on his heart to show how much he loved and cared for another person. He would do anything if he could “change the world.”

I know that I’ve written on this topic in the past, and yet it still tugs at me. You see it seems that HR has chosen more to conform to be like the rest of everyone at their company instead of choosing to make a change. We’d rather blend in than stand up. I think we’d do better in understanding that our interactions could literally change the world !!

One of my favorite quotes ever is from Ghandi when he encouraged others around him to “be the change you want to see in the world.” We tend to shy away from this expansive aspiration because we think that changing the world would involve some massive effort beyond our abilities. I don’t think that’s the case at all. We just need to reframe how we look at making change.

I think there is far too much focus on results in all facets of work and our lives. Results are important, but they don’t lead. They lag. Relationships are far more important and you make change through those relationships. These lead to stronger results. Every. Time.

Changing the world isn’t about effort. It’s about people. It always has been.

In HR you’re surrounded by people and you can be the ONE person who makes a positive impact for them. A kind word, a listening ear and a willing heart can build up others. These aren’t “soft skills”, they’re human skills. And, make no mistake about it, human skills are what drives business and allows for world shaping change.

This week I hope you turn away from the negative noise and choose to be a person who can change the world. Pull a star from the heavens and reach out to others and show them that they matter and have value. Trust me, the more of us that make this effort will be the change we want to see in the world !!