Dear All,
Please find an E-Book on "HR from the Heart: Inspiring Stories and Strategies for Building the People Side of Great Business" by Libby Sartain and Martha I.
Foreword
Have you ever wondered what the world would it be like if we could read people's minds? And if we could, how would that ability affect the human resources (HR) profession? One thing is certain, we would do away with much of the uncertainty we experience in workplace relationships. And we could even quantify and evaluate the HR processes and functions that previously eluded measurement, enhancing our efforts to perform at a high level, and helping others in the organization improve their work as well.
Sounds like science fiction, right? Not really. There is a brave new world of knowledge to which most of us pay little attention and few have been able to measure. It is a body of knowledge that is as complex as the individuals who seek to obtain it.
Introspection. Self-awareness. Knowledge of ourselves. Reading our own minds goes beyond acknowledging the basic information required to be a competent employee, manager, or HR professional. It is discovering the heart of who we are—our character, personality, ethics, and the ability to relate to others. Think about how important such knowledge is in organizations of all kinds, and its special relevance to those of us in HR as we seek to attract and retain talented employees and develop and deliver policies and programs that improve workplace efficiency, creativity, and productivity. The more we know about ourselves—the more we can get into our own minds—the better able we are to assist the diverse workforce we serve.
Ancient philosophers understood that. The Greek thinker and teacher Socrates believed that the search for knowledge began with introspection: "Know thyself." He taught his students that they should question themselves about various things in life. By following each question with another question, the person would eventually realize that they had the final answer within themselves—or, in some cases, that there was no final answer to be found. Psychologists say it is comparable to peeling an onion, discovering new complex behaviors as each layer is revealed. The process is called the Socratic Dialogue or Method, and it is still used among students of philosophy and law today.
But it is Greek to most of us. We either do not know it exists or, if we do, we hardly ever use it due to the time constraints of competing responsibilities. We as HR professionals focus on other people in the organization without first establishing the basic foundation for understanding—knowledge of self.
Maybe that is why people are generally unaware of how they interact with others in given situations. We do not spend enough time evaluating how our personal values, feelings, strengths, and weaknesses affect our relationships and responsibilities in and outside of the workplace. As managers, not understanding what makes us tick can stifle our development because we are using less than 100% of our internal resources. That can hurt our chances for achieving great success in the workplace.
Some researchers have classified this search for self-knowledge as "Emotional Intelligence (EI)." Studies indicate (and quantify) just how important it is: top performance is based on 80 percent EI compared with 20 percent for IQ. Adherents say that it can be taught. As a result, measurement instruments are being developed and utilized. Some organizations are even implementing EI strategies within their workforces. But the entire concept is still dependent on an individual's desire to pursue self-knowledge.
For HR professionals today, it is not enough that they focus on acquiring self-knowledge for the sake of feeling good about themselves. Acquiring a keen sense of self is dependent on HR professionals becoming adept at reading the minds of their CEOs—knowing, understanding and speaking the language of business. And for good reason.
A number of strategic trends in the current business environment—the increasing value of human capital in the marketplace, globalization of U.S. companies, and the emergence of technologies that have changed (and continue to change) the fundamentals for how employees and their companies interact—have created a new set of opportunities and challenges for the HR profession.
These opportunities and challenges demand that HR professionals demonstrate mastery in both the technical and "human" HR competencies that set them apart as guardians of human capital management. It is the seamless integration of these skill sets—emotional intelligence combined with business acumen—that makes a successful HR leader; one who can translate who they are and what they know into tangible contributions that positively impact their organization's bottom line.
It is this integration that is depicted in Libby Sartain's book. And it is this understanding of mind and heart, business know-how, and from-the-heart passion, to which she challenges all of us to aspire.
Are we up for the challenge of discovering the mysteries contained in our own minds? If it means that we will acquire the skill set required to evaluate the HR functions that have previously eluded measurement, count me in. We have to start somewhere. For now, starting the process is as simple as asking oneself a question.
Susan R. Meisinger, SPHR
President and Chief Executive Officer
Society for Human Resource Management
From India, New Delhi
8Please find an E-Book on "HR from the Heart: Inspiring Stories and Strategies for Building the People Side of Great Business" by Libby Sartain and Martha I.
Foreword
Have you ever wondered what the world would it be like if we could read people's minds? And if we could, how would that ability affect the human resources (HR) profession? One thing is certain, we would do away with much of the uncertainty we experience in workplace relationships. And we could even quantify and evaluate the HR processes and functions that previously eluded measurement, enhancing our efforts to perform at a high level, and helping others in the organization improve their work as well.
Sounds like science fiction, right? Not really. There is a brave new world of knowledge to which most of us pay little attention and few have been able to measure. It is a body of knowledge that is as complex as the individuals who seek to obtain it.
Introspection. Self-awareness. Knowledge of ourselves. Reading our own minds goes beyond acknowledging the basic information required to be a competent employee, manager, or HR professional. It is discovering the heart of who we are—our character, personality, ethics, and the ability to relate to others. Think about how important such knowledge is in organizations of all kinds, and its special relevance to those of us in HR as we seek to attract and retain talented employees and develop and deliver policies and programs that improve workplace efficiency, creativity, and productivity. The more we know about ourselves—the more we can get into our own minds—the better able we are to assist the diverse workforce we serve.
Ancient philosophers understood that. The Greek thinker and teacher Socrates believed that the search for knowledge began with introspection: "Know thyself." He taught his students that they should question themselves about various things in life. By following each question with another question, the person would eventually realize that they had the final answer within themselves—or, in some cases, that there was no final answer to be found. Psychologists say it is comparable to peeling an onion, discovering new complex behaviors as each layer is revealed. The process is called the Socratic Dialogue or Method, and it is still used among students of philosophy and law today.
But it is Greek to most of us. We either do not know it exists or, if we do, we hardly ever use it due to the time constraints of competing responsibilities. We as HR professionals focus on other people in the organization without first establishing the basic foundation for understanding—knowledge of self.
Maybe that is why people are generally unaware of how they interact with others in given situations. We do not spend enough time evaluating how our personal values, feelings, strengths, and weaknesses affect our relationships and responsibilities in and outside of the workplace. As managers, not understanding what makes us tick can stifle our development because we are using less than 100% of our internal resources. That can hurt our chances for achieving great success in the workplace.
Some researchers have classified this search for self-knowledge as "Emotional Intelligence (EI)." Studies indicate (and quantify) just how important it is: top performance is based on 80 percent EI compared with 20 percent for IQ. Adherents say that it can be taught. As a result, measurement instruments are being developed and utilized. Some organizations are even implementing EI strategies within their workforces. But the entire concept is still dependent on an individual's desire to pursue self-knowledge.
For HR professionals today, it is not enough that they focus on acquiring self-knowledge for the sake of feeling good about themselves. Acquiring a keen sense of self is dependent on HR professionals becoming adept at reading the minds of their CEOs—knowing, understanding and speaking the language of business. And for good reason.
A number of strategic trends in the current business environment—the increasing value of human capital in the marketplace, globalization of U.S. companies, and the emergence of technologies that have changed (and continue to change) the fundamentals for how employees and their companies interact—have created a new set of opportunities and challenges for the HR profession.
These opportunities and challenges demand that HR professionals demonstrate mastery in both the technical and "human" HR competencies that set them apart as guardians of human capital management. It is the seamless integration of these skill sets—emotional intelligence combined with business acumen—that makes a successful HR leader; one who can translate who they are and what they know into tangible contributions that positively impact their organization's bottom line.
It is this integration that is depicted in Libby Sartain's book. And it is this understanding of mind and heart, business know-how, and from-the-heart passion, to which she challenges all of us to aspire.
Are we up for the challenge of discovering the mysteries contained in our own minds? If it means that we will acquire the skill set required to evaluate the HR functions that have previously eluded measurement, count me in. We have to start somewhere. For now, starting the process is as simple as asking oneself a question.
Susan R. Meisinger, SPHR
President and Chief Executive Officer
Society for Human Resource Management
From India, New Delhi
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