I tell HR leaders to dream big. After a long HR career, I know how hard it is to find time each day to dream – there are always so many transactions to complete and people to coach (and fires to put out). But the real fun in this, or any job, is to see things as they could be, not just as they are. I’m working with an HR director now who forwarded me an employee handbook – that always says volumes about an organization, and its style and culture. Lots of don’ts in that handbook – so I asked if they would consider flipping those around and listing the do’s instead. I could see a light come on. And about the employment-at-will statement on page two, I asked if they’d ever terminated anyone for no reason; the answer of course, was “no” … and more light began to shine. And when I asked whether they might consider putting a picture in the Appearance policy about how employees should look (instead of another list of don’ts) … the high beams came on. And we were only on page 3 of 30; imagine what other opportunities might be found. It was a good handbook, and it covered all the key topics the lawyers said had to addressed; but it had very little that would inspire employees to become engaged or aspire to greatness. And isn’t that what leaders (and their handbooks) are supposed to do? Take something you work with and transform it into a masterpiece today.
John Wooden (1910 – 2010): American basketball coach and player.
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