A new HR Development Framework
We are, as human beings, programmed to look for patterns and to seek meaning in things which cross our paths. We see faces in a weathered rock or spell words in car number plates. When we were developing the enable-hr self-evaluation tool, we started with at least a hundred post-it notes. We had researched what opinion leaders say about human resources. We were looking for a new kind of development for HR people. The post-it notes were collected after weeks of work and were spread all over the floor. We set about looking for patterns, grouping and categorising them, refining our definitions and honing the descriptions we’d created.
The patterns slowly but surely formed, settling into seven areas. We distilled these carefully into these seven critical aspects of operation for a modern, future-ready Human Resources professional.
We then set about looking for ways to look at the information we wanted to gather with the self-assessment tool we would go on to develop. As one option, we looked at the seven pointed star. We didn’t end up using it for reasons I won’t go into here… but what the exploration gave me, was an insight into how people might make use of the seven aspects of the enable-hr approach.
Imagine standing in the middle of the heptagram shown here. Around you are the seven points of the star: Perspective, Connection, Balance, Focus, Push, Rigour and Reputation. In each challenging work situation, view your task through each of the seven powerful aspects in turn.
The Seven Facets of enable-hr
Perspective – Step back and take a look at the bigger picture & the longer term, how does this task or project fit in?
Connection – Who can benefit from this and how can the project benefit from their input or sponsorship?
Balance – How will I balance the needs of all my stakeholders?
Focus – In what areas will I need to focus my effort and my precious resources to get this done?
Push – How am I going to keep pushing forwards with this if I run into corporate ‘treacle’?
Rigour – How will I ensure that I get this right and I can deliver what I’ve promised?
Reputation – How will I ‘champion’ HR through this work, how will I publicise our success and drive advocacy?
Try it out and see how powerful it is to think in these terms. The above seven aspects are the tenets of the enable–hr self-assessment tool. Using the diagnostic we developed, helps you assess your personal working style in relation to these aspects… what do you currently do well? And what could you do with improving? Where are your biggest opportunities for growth and improvement in each of the seven powerful aspects?
We believe that when you balance these seven Enablers, and you can deliver well in each of the seven areas, you unlock your full potential as a HR Professional.
The enable-hr diagnostic isn’t magic. But even without the involvement of fairies, it’s a powerful tool to transform your thinking and your personal and professional development in human resources.
(The heptagram, as shown here, has accumulated many levels of meaning over the centuries. It is, amongst other things, a sacred symbol to Wiccans who follow the Faery tradition, where it is called the Elven or Fairy star. The image in this post, should you be a budding florist – is the Starflower [Trientalis borealis]).
