One Minute HR Consultant

As I focus on strategic human capital projects and opportunities, my mind drifts back to a moment not so long ago when I was speaking with a senior line manager thrust to lead a complex-integrated human capital transformational initiative that linked with the ” 21st century organizational vision.”  During our meeting, I was explaining the importance of supporting initiatives that ranged from knowledge management implementation-improvement, diversity-inclusion strategies, competency-based job modeling, and data migration/ERP-CRM strategies to name but just a few of the processes involved.  As I was speaking, this senior leader looked at me and said, “George, it’s all hibba-hobba.”

Of course I laughed it off and just thought that his analytical skill set and thought process just wanted black-and-white and binary rule set data that made it all digestible and easy for decision-making.  However, as I progress through subsequent assignments and conduct interviews and conversations with other business professionals and HR leaders, I have come to realize that he had a point.  Specifically, during one meeting, I sat and listened to a senior HR leader explain to me that the company’s goal was to “align the workforce to meet the strategic initiatives of strategic planning so that they could deliver on organizational objectives.”  I thought to myself – huh?  Are you not the face of senior leadership representing the most valued asset of the organization and that’s the answer you are providing?

Now don’t get me wrong.  There is nothing wrong with being able to communicate in contemporary, relevant, common language that can be shared with other professionals internal and external to the organization.  However, to explain to someone who is trying to get to ground truth (with concurrence) in such abstract terms leads to one conclusion: You have no idea what you are talking about.

Do you know what you are talking about?  Can you state in concrete terms what your organizational strategic goals are where it makes sense to anyone listing.  If you communicate like the example I just gave above, I will answer that question for you: You may know, but only you know that you may know. Continue reading »