In HR, making wise decisions is a tricky balancing act – there are so many interests involved. Also – it’s one thing knowing what’s right, and another getting business leaders on board.
Let’s take the typical dilemma of the tension between a short-term fix and a thoughtful approach that will help build the organisation’s strength in the longer term. The expedient solution always looks the easiest, but has consequences.
Quite early in my own HR career, my boss the CEO decided to create a new role and promote someone – let’s call him Simon – into it. However, Simon was one of a group of specialist engineers who a) didn’t think they needed a boss, and b) if they did, they’d have wanted to apply for the job. It created quite a rumpus, and a queue outside my office of people objecting to the unfairness of it.
I was new in the role and this was a tough start with my boss – having to face up to all the implications of his decision was awkward for both of us. Building trust takes time, and also establishing transparency so that each of you understand the other’s world.
It’s a behavioural challenge as well as an intellectual one – creating the right climate to learn from each other. It’s so rewarding when it works, and worth the effort.