When we in the wacky world of HR talk about the importance of “engagement,” are we talking about others or ourselves?
Seriously. I’ve been really contemplating this lately and I continue to feel perplexed when I see Conference sessions, blog posts, and white papers on the importance of engagement, but it always seems to be about someone else.
If HR isn’t engaged, why should we expect others to be engaged? Have you asked yourself if you really love being in HR? Don’t get me wrong, this is not a “why people hate HR” post. This is a challenge to see if you’re truly in the field you enjoy. I find that the people who manage their careers the worst are people in HR. We will go out of our way to help others in their career endeavors, but we shy away from taking this and being intentional.
Remember – If you don’t manage your career . . . it will manage you !!
I’ve learned this through personal experience and also from watching others who continue to state that they struggle with being effective in our field. Trust me, there’s no other field I’d rather be in !!
I keep seeing posts encouraging people to attend #SHRM11 and I hope that people do because events like this can be spectacular . . . with a catch. If you aren’t going to forums like this to network, seek great professional development and also learn to be a better HR professional, then you’re just missing out. Take these opportunities to move yourself ahead so that, in turn, you can return to your company to move them ahead as well !!
I think we all need to be comfortable “in our own skin” when it comes to being in HR and to quit apologizing for it. I think it was captured best by one of my favorite bands, Boston, in their classic Peace of Mind:
“Now if you’re feelin’ kinda low ’bout the dues you’ve been paying
Future’s coming much too slow
And you wanna run but somehow you just keep on stayin’
Can’t decide on which way to go
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I understand about indecision
But I don’t care if I get behind
People livin’ in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind.”
So, take some time to reflect. Get rid of any indecision. It would be great to look around in our field and see people who really had that peace of mind to make HR rock !! Come on and join in !!
Great points! All too often, HR pros are the worst at taking our own advice. I am forever coaching others on how to progress, and rarely take my own advice. That’s it! I’m engaging myself from here on!
Thanks for the reminder!
Hey Steve – I have no brainy insight, no thought provoking comment. I just want to say I love your positivity and encouragement – it keeps me going.
I love HR. Honestly, I don’t know if I ‘love’ being in HR (in the trenches). The answer to this Q for me is somewhere out there on what is probably a longer road than most traverse. I will let you know when I get there…in the meantime, you’ll just have to be patient.
HR professionals from good institutions know their job, and to top that, if they have been places, you bet they are enjoying being in the HR profession. It’s a common knowledge that we, the practicing HR managers miss a formal corpus that would ensure the universal standard of education and skills that should be followed by the organizations while recruiting HR professionals. Unfortunately anyone under the sun is being employed as a HR professional, and the reasons are not very difficult to see. The first and foremost reason is that most of the people engaged in this profession are not doing what they are supposed to do. They should stop working as post offices or glorified clerks if they can do more. The management or for that matter the line managers have wrongly obviated the need of HR and that is rather unfortunate. Given the ability to sell one’s idea and concept, and with certain amount of freedom to practice the deliverables, HR could be a profession to enjoy.