Six HR resolutions to help you move into 2010 posted by my friend Martha Finney at Paths to HR Greatness ... Enjoy!
No matter what the year, no matter what the economy, this is traditionally the time for introspection; looking back and looking forward to the months ahead of us. And this past year is certainly one to put behind us as quickly as possible.
Every year I enjoy putting together this list of Best Resolutions for HR, primarily because each list is an advance peak at the tone and concerns of the year ahead of us. And, because HR is the custodian of the experience of most people who work around the world, what you have to look forward to is an accurate reflection of what working people everywhere have to look forward to.
So I wasn’t surprised that this year’s round of Best Resolutions have taken on a distinctly philosophical point of view.
Resolution 1: I will learn like I’m going to live forever, but live like I’m going to die tomorrow. Says Mary Cheddie, senior vice president of HR for Interval International: “In the macro-economic environment we’re all experiencing, it’s critical that we in HR understand what’s in every nook and every cranny of our business. As HR professionals, we must continue to learn. We have to get out into the organization and with other business leaders and professions.”
For the many HR professionals who have lost their jobs this year, Mary has this advice around the second half of her resolution: “It’s time to stop and consider what’s important to you personally. What do you love to do? What do you want to do? What do you need to do? I’ve known many people who, when they find they’re out of work, use this as an opportunity to change the direction of their lives and do something they love to do. If you’ve lost your job, find your passion. And go for it. Love what you do every day. That’s the secret of life.”
Resolution 2: I will not let a job description define who I am and all that I have to give to the world. Tiane Mitchell Gordon, AOL’s senior vice president of diversity and inclusion, says, “We often only think of ourselves in a singular dimension. And then we judge our successes and failures by that one dimension. We shouldn’t define ourselves by one little thing.”
This singular point of focus is unhealthy in the best of times. But in this era when people are losing their jobs without notice, it can be particularly devastating. Says Tiane: “Because so many people are tied up with their paying job, that’s how they think of themselves, without considering their greater worth beyond their job roles. But that’s not their only identity that they should be focused on.
“It’s very hard for me to separate who I am at a personal level from who I am at a professional level. The two intertwine for me. And in our roles in HR especially, it’s so important that we bring all aspects of who we are to the work we do. Then, not only do we have more to give the people we work with, but we have more to give the world outside of our jobs.”
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