Well what a day! The largest strike in decades and Lloyds Banking announcing a further 15,000 job cuts. Fortunately our regular columnist John Hepworth comes to the rescue to inject some positive thinking into what could be a rather dour day. Today John picks up from last week’s theme on emotional intelligence and looks at recognising and utilising ours and others strengths. (Ed Scrivener)
Using your strengths to stand out
“Positive Psychology” is seen as the new way forward for many…the concept that “Positive Psychology is the scientific study of optimal human functioning. It aims to discover and promote the factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive. The positive psychology movement represents a new commitment on the part of research psychologists to focus attention upon the sources of psychological health, thereby going beyond prior emphases upon disease and disorder (Sheldon et al, 2007, University of Pennsylvania).”
So, looking at the ‘good stuff’. This has always been a bit of a stretch for me, in that my selection interviewing training, for instance, taught me to seek examples from candidates that met the criteria for the job. In my mind, then, I was seeking to find out things that candidates could do, rather than what they could not. But let’s run with this, because to me, the way that Positive Psychology is moving now suggests that there is more to it than just – let’s face it – happy, clappy Americanisms.
OK, so what do I mean? My introduction to the topic has been focused on career development for clients. Where clients have little or no work experience to draw upon, I was finding myself restricted in how I could help. Without any doubt, following a discussion with Bill Davies at JCA (Occupational Psychologists), a ‘strengths’ approach – delivered from a Positive Psychology perspective – paid dividends. I used “StrengthsFinder” ® and Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and this provided a rich seam of information for development and learning.
I was presented with an in-depth profile of what the client saw as their strengths, allied to a comprehensive MBTI report that complimented and helped start a discussion. It was amazing to me at least to see traits and preferences that had been seen as a ‘problem’ in some clients, suddenly turned into ‘strengths’. This allowed me to work with the clients on how they then implemented their new-found strengths into practical, career-based action.
I was then struck by a sentence on the back of a book…”…we become experts in our weaknesses and spend our lives trying to repair these flaws, whilst our strengths lie dormant and neglected.” This is taken from ‘Now, discover your strengths’ by Buckingham and Clifton (2005) and my goodness, did this resonate with me!
Did the constructive criticism go too far?
Thinking back on my employed career, how often did I actually focus on the strengths of employees and managers alike? Rarely, mainly in formal succession planning sessions rooted in personal bias and cultural norms, rather than what was actually required ‘to move the business forward’. Mainly, my job was identifying and correcting weaknesses – even if I did call them development needs. We Brits do like to criticise – but give someone sustained and authentic feedback?! And when it came to selection interviewing, well, what I actually did was seek instances where candidates met our competencies, rather than demonstrated their strengths and how they may be applicable.
Interesting and I am sure that many of you will have a different view. But what has changed for me is that far from being ‘happy, clappy Americanisms’, the role of Positive Psychology and its applications can be at least as powerful as a competency-based approach (and hey, most good competency systems now describe behaviours that are ‘good’ and ‘bad’).
Where does this leave me, then, in my view on Positive Psychology? One example helps here. Writing in ‘Assessment & Development Matters’ (BPS, Vol 3, No1, Spring 2011), Trenier et al share their experiences of using a ‘strengths’ approach with undergraduates. The Association of Graduate Recruiters (2010) noted that some 70 graduates were applying for each available job, so by implication, graduates needed that ‘something else’ to stand out from the mass of applicants. Trenier et al devised a programme to help undergraduates identify their strengths, to help them identify realistic career choices and to present themselves strongly to recruiters.
The outcomes for the students involved were telling. For instance, the simple fact that recognised that they could not all be all-rounders – we all have different strengths – and yet strengths are not static: they can be ‘realised’ through targeted development and experiences.
I feel now that it goes without saying that applications such as Emotional Intelligence lead the way for career development and psychological well-being – and tools in EI focus on strengths. Picking up on last week’s blog, what we need to see more of now is the business success associated with adopting Positive Psychology and EI approaches: the Holy Grail of linking people well-being with outstanding business performance. Sufficient to prove once and for all that we ‘people professionals’ were right all along!
About the author
John helps organisations, especially in the SME sector, achieve competitive advantage. He has a particular interest in translating strategic HR management into practice. Typically, this has meant focusing his efforts on recruitment & selection, performance management and training & development activities. John sees the challenge of matching the development of internal competencies with the externally driven demands of the market place as one of the key themes in developing organisational engagement, capability and performance.
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Discuss HR is the blog for Human Resources UK, the leading LinkedIn group for those involved with HR in the UK. Next week’s Discuss HR will be published on Thursday 7th July and will be written by Annabel Kaye, Employment Law Specialist.
Lomba Menulis Artikel Asuransi HUT Ke-99 AJB Bumiputera 1912 Tema : “Bumiputera: Menjelang 1 Abad” Menjadikan AJB Bumiputera 1912 Sebagai Mercusuar Perkembangan Asuransi Jiwa di Indonesia Sebagai perusahaan asuransi nasional milik bangsa Indonesia yang genap berusia 99 tahun, AJB Bumiputera memegang peranan penting dalam perkembangan asuransi jiwa di Indonesia. Selama hampir 1 abad, AJB Bumiputera 1912 sudah melayani jutaan orang yang mempercayakan modal yang mereka miliki dan menjadi pemegang polis asuransi jiwa yang ditawarkan AJB Bumiputera 1912. Tentu kepercayaan masyarakat dalam memilih AJB Bumiputera 1912 sebagai perusahaan asuransi keluarga Indonesia dari generasi ke generasi ini membuat tanggung jawab dan kualitas pelayanan menjadi hal yang utama dan terutama dalam melayani nasabah. Menurut Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI), asuransi dapat diartikan sebagai pertanggungan atau perjanjian antara dua pihak, pihak yang satu berkewajiban membayar iuran dan pihak yang lain berkewajiban memberikan jaminan sepenuhnya kepada pembayar iuran, apabila terjadi sesuatu yang menimpa pihak pertama atau barang miliknya sesuai dengan perjanjian yang dibuat. Dalam hal ini, kita dapat menyimpulkan bahwa asuransi itu ibarat payung yang melindungi kita dari hujan. Asuransi berfungsi melindungi kita dari hal-hal yang tidak diinginkan dan memproteksi kita dengan jaminan yang ada. Sayangnya, banyak definisi dan persepsi tentang asuransi di kalangan masyarakat yang keliru, sehingga banyak masyarakat memilih untuk menghindari produk asuransi. Penulis pernah mendengar pengakuan seorang ibu tentang asuransi. Beliau mengatakan asuransi itu tidak berguna dan hanya membuang-buang uang saja untuk membeli polis. Selain itu, ekstrimnya lagi, ada yang mengatakan bahwa memilih asuransi seolah “mendoakan” seseorang untuk mendapat hal-hal yang tidak diinginkan, seperti kecelakaan, meninggal dunia, dan lain sebagainya. Tentu persepsi yang keliru ini sangat berbahaya jika dibiarkan berlarut-larut. Masyarakat menjadi acuh tak acuh terhadap proteksi jiwa yang seharusnya mereka miliki untuk menunjang kehidupan mereka dan orang-orang yang mereka cintai. AJB Bumiputera 1912 dalam hal ini berfungsi sebagai mercusuar yang seyogianya menuntun masyarakat Indonesia untuk memahami asuransi secara tepat. Di usia yang menjelang 1 abad, tentu AJB Bumiputera 1912 hendaknya menjadi panutan bagi perusahaan asuransi jiwa lainnya untuk berkontribusi dalam memberikan wawasan dan pengetahuan yang memadai pada masyarakat seputar asuransi. Hal ini dapat dilakukan dengan AKSI.
A – Apresiasi Anggapan bahwa masyarakat lebih mempercayai orang yang ada di sekitar mereka ketimbang petugas asuransi bisa menjadi acuan bagi AJB Bumiputera 1912 untuk melakukan revitalisasi terhadap citra asuransi. AJB Bumiputera 1912 dapat membuat program “Member Get Member” yang berfungsi ganda, yakni memberikan kesejahteraan bagi nasabah, sekaligus menunjang AJB Bumiputera 1912 untuk tetap eksis sebagai perusahaan asuransi jiwa. Dalam hal ini, pemegang polis dapat diberikan apresiasi dengan beragam hadiah menarik jika berhasil mengundang rekan mereka untuk mengikuti asuransi. Penulis yakin banyak orang yang akan tertarik untuk bergabung dalam asuransi dengan apresiasi yang diberikan.
K – Kinerja AJB Bumiputera 1912 juga harus senantiasa memperbaharui kinerja perusahaan asuransi secara professional dan berkesinambungan. Prinsip 2S, yakni Senyum dan Sapa hendaknya diterapkan dalam melakukan pelayanan kepada nasabah. Selain itu, AJB Bumiputera 1912 juga dapat memfasilitasi tim marketing perusahaan dengan mobil kantor guna menunjang mobilitas dan pelayanan ke nasabah secara door to door agar jalinan tali silaturahmi dirasakan lebih intim dan intens. Diharapkan kinerja yang baik ini dapat meningkatkan minat masyarakat untuk memiliki asuransi.
S – Sosialisasi Dewasa ini, penulis melihat AJB Bumiputera 1912 kurang gencar dalam melakukan sosialisasi produk asuransi yang dimiliki. Akibatnya, masyarakat luas tidak mengetahui konsep mutual (usaha bersama) yang dimiliki AJB Bumiputera 1912. Kiprah AJB Bumiputera 1912 pun tertutupi oleh beragam perusahaan asuransi asing yang sangat gencar memasang iklan dan memberitahukan produk asuransi terbaru yang mereka miliki. Tentu AJB Bumiputera 1912 harus melakukan sosialisasi secara holistik di kalangan masyarakat dengan cara yang sederhana, namun memberikan dampak yang nyata bagi masyarakat.
AJB Bumiputera 1912 dapat bekerja sama dengan PT. Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), PT. Garuda Indonesia, dan perusahaan persero milik negara lainnya untuk memberikan asuransi perjalanan yang menjamin keselamatan penumpang. Penulis yakin sosialisasi yang dilakukan akan menumbuhkan kepercayaan di kalangan masyarakat terhadap tanggung jawab yang diberikan AJB Bumiputera 1912. Selain itu, pembagian brosur asuransi di sarana umum, seperti terminal, bandara, stasiun, mal, dan lain sebagainya dapat dilakukan untuk memperkenalkan dan memasyarakatkan asuransi di kalangan masyarakat.
I – Inovasi Sebagai perusahaan yang berusia sangat matang, AJB Bumiputera 1912 tentu tidak boleh melupakan inovasi sebagai sarana untuk tetap eksis dan bertahan di tengah himpitan persaingan perusahaan asuransi asing yang kian ketat. AJB Bumiputera 1912 dapat menawarkan produk asuransi baru, seperti asuransi rumah, kendaraan, dan lain sebagainya. Meskipun dalam label “Asuransi Jiwa”, penulis yakin inovasi yang diberikan akan menyegarkan citra AJB Bumiputera 1912 yang selama ini dikenal masyarakat terlalu monoton.
AKSI yang dilakukan diharapkan dapat menjadikan AJB Bumiputera 1912 sebagai mercusuar bagi perkembangan asuransi jiwa di Indonesia. Masyarakat yang semula menolak produk asuransi pun diharapkan dapat mengikis sikap antipati mereka terhadap asuransi dengan langkah AKSI yang dilakukan AJB Bumiputera 1912. AJB Bumiputera 1912 dapat menjadi penuntun arah yang benar bagi masyarakat bahwa polis asuransi yang mereka miliki bukanlah kertas kosong yang sia-sia, melainkan berfungsi sebagai tameng pelindung dari segala ketidakpastian yang terjadi di masa mendatang. Semoga dengan implementasi AKSI, AJB Bumiputera 1912 senantiasa maju dan berkembang dalam memenuhi tuntutan zaman di bidang asuransi. Mari berasuransi sekarang bersama AJB Bumiputera 1912!
Lomba Menulis Online Hukum dan HAM Tema : “Penegakkan Hukum dan HAM” Reformasi Birokrasi : Renaisans Hukum dan HAM di Indonesia Satu-satunya cara yang dapat dilakukan untuk melakukan revitalisasi terhadap hukum dan HAM di Indonesia adalah dengan melakukan reformasi birokrasi. Melihat sistem birokrasi di negara kita yang berantakan dan tidak memihak pada rakyat, rasanya kita perlu mengadopsi sistem hukum yang diberlakukan di China. Pelaksanaan hukum yang tegas dan terkesan sadis ini dengan adanya hukuman mati bagi koruptor ini dimaksudkan bukan untuk melanggar HAM, melainkan demi terciptanya negara yang adil dan menjunjung tinggi hukum. Penulis rasa dengan adanya hukuman yang berat, koruptor, para pelanggar hukum, dan HAM akan takut untuk melakukan perbuatan melanggar hukum dan HAM yang sama kembali. Tentu hanya orang-orang yang bersalah dan ingin menghindari hukumlah yang menyalahkan hukuman mati sebagai perbuatan musyrik, tidak berperikemanusiaan, dan tidak beradab. Jika kita memang berniat tidak melanggar hukum dan HAM, tentu kita tidak perlu takut dengan hukuman seberat apapun, bukan? Tentu ketika para wakil rakyat di bangku DPR sudah melakukan perubahan terhadap sikap dan perilaku mereka untuk taat hukum, maka seluruh jajaran pemerintahan dari atas hingga ke bawah pun akan secara otomatis mengikuti layaknya efek domino. Masyarakat pun akan turut aktif dalam menegakkan hukum karena mereka sudah diberikan teladan dan contoh yang baik dalam membangun Indonesia yang maju dengan perilaku sadar hukum. Hal ini akan menjadi tonggak awal bagi renaisans hukum dan HAM di Indonesia.
Lomba Menulis Online Bersama www.AboeBakar.com Tema : “Pendapat tentang Hukum dan HAM”
Reformasi Birokrasi : Renaisans Hukum dan HAM di Indonesia Siapa yang tak kenal China? Negara raksasa dengan jumlah penduduk terbesar di dunia ini boleh dikatakan negara yang sangat menjunjung tinggi hukum dan Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM). Sebagai contoh, hukuman mati bagi para koruptor. Penegakan hukum secara tegas ini membuat China bebas dari korupsi dan mampu memanfaatkan dana rakyat demi kemajuan bangsa dan negara. Berkaca dari China, Indonesia pun sebenarnya mampu menjadi negara hukum yang berdaulat dan adil. Sebagai negara yang menjunjung tinggi ideologi Pancasila, Indonesia boleh dikatakan memiliki modal dasar yang baik sebagai negara hukum. Hanya saja, langkah pemerintah sebagai eksekutor pelaksana di lapangan tidak sesuai dengan harapan rakyat. Para anggota DPR yang melakukan praktik KKN dengan serta merta menghalalkan segala cara demi tercapainya keuntungan pribadi, seperti pembuatan Undang-Undang (UU) baru yang meringankan hukuman bagi para koruptor. Hal inilah yang membuat penegakkan hukum dan HAM di Indonesia selalu menemui titik buntu. Satu-satunya cara yang dapat dilakukan untuk melakukan revitalisasi terhadap hukum dan HAM di Indonesia adalah dengan melakukan reformasi birokrasi. Melihat sistem birokrasi di negara kita yang berantakan dan tidak memihak pada rakyat, rasanya kita perlu mengadopsi sistem hukum yang diberlakukan di China. Pelaksanaan hukum yang tegas dan terkesan sadis ini dengan adanya hukuman mati bagi koruptor ini dimaksudkan bukan untuk melanggar HAM, melainkan demi terciptanya negara yang adil dan menjunjung tinggi hukum. Penulis rasa dengan adanya hukuman yang berat, koruptor, para pelanggar hukum, dan HAM akan takut untuk melakukan perbuatan melanggar hukum dan HAM yang sama kembali. Tentu hanya orang-orang yang bersalah dan ingin menghindari hukumlah yang menyalahkan hukuman mati sebagai perbuatan musyrik, tidak berperikemanusiaan, dan tidak beradab. Jika kita memang berniat tidak melanggar hukum dan HAM, tentu kita tidak perlu takut dengan hukuman seberat apapun, bukan? Dengan adanya reformasi birokrasi, maka renaisans atau kebangkitan kembali penegakan hukum dan HAM di Indonesia bukan lagi menjadi misi yang mustahil (mission impossible), tetapi menjadi sebuah pencapaian luar biasa bagi sebuah negara dalam membenahi ideologi dasar negara yang selama ini dinodai oleh perilaku aparatur negara sendiri. Tentu ketika para wakil rakyat di bangku DPR sudah melakukan perubahan terhadap sikap dan perilaku mereka untuk taat hukum, maka seluruh jajaran pemerintahan dari atas hingga ke bawah pun akan secara otomatis mengikuti layaknya efek domino. Masyarakat pun akan turut aktif dalam menegakkan hukum karena mereka sudah diberikan teladan dan contoh yang baik dalam membangun Indonesia yang maju dengan perilaku sadar hukum. Memang melakukan reformasi birokrasi bukanlah hal yang mudah. Namun dengan integritas, tekad, dan kesadaran yang tinggi bahwa negara ini membutuhkan figur pemimpin yang taat hukum dan HAM untuk memajukan roda pembangunannya dari stagnansi akibat pelanggaran-pelanggaran hukum dan HAM yang ada, penulis yakin kita sudah selangkah lebih dekat dalam upaya menegakkan hukum dan HAM yang sempat mengalami masa dormansi (istirahat) di negara kita. Sampai saat itu tiba, mari bersama kita tegakkan, bangun, dan wujudkan negara yang menjunjung tinggi hukum dan HAM dengan partisipasi aktif kita sebagai masyarakat!
Trias Politica merupakan pembagian kekuasaan dalam suatu negara. Pembagian dibagi tiga sebagaimana istilah trias, yakni Legislatif, Eksekutif dan Judikatif. Urutan dari kekuasan ini dapat menjadi perdebatan menarik. Siapakah yang menjadi utama dan terutama? Kalau dari aspek teori kenegaraan, seharusnya Legislatiflah yang utama karena merupakan lembaga yang melahirkan konstitusi dan perundang-undangan.
Namun bagaimana bisa membuat perundang-undangan jika tidak memiliki kompetensi Judikatif (baca : Hukum)?
Bagi kaum eksekutif berpendapat bahwa Legislatif dan Hukum hanya akan efektif jika dijalankan dengan baik dan benar oleh eksekutif.
Kalau dideskripsikan, diusulkan bahwa urutan kekuasan bukan top down, tetapi circular sebagai diagram berikut :
Perdebatan kepentingan pengutamaan institusi, menurut penulis tidak lepas dari pengaruh kompetensi individu setiap institusi yang mendapat mandat. Kompetensi individu dimaksud dipengaruhi latar belakang akademik yang bersangkutan.
sistem akademik yang berlaku saat ini sangat inklusif, terlalu memfokuskan diri pada disiplin ilmu tersebut tanpa keterkaitan dengan disipliin ilmu lain. sayangnya, kondisi ini dilanjutkan pada jenjang pendidikan tertinggi (S1 - S3).
dampak dari sistem akademik tersebut, mengakibatkan kurang tercerminnya kompetensi yang integratif bagi individu pejabat negara.
Sarjana Hukum, hanya berfokus pada disiplin hukum.
Sarjana Politik, hanya berfokus pada disiplin ilmu politik
Sarjana Ekonomi hanya berfoku pada disiplin ilmu ekonomi.
Perkembangan selanjutnya memberikan harapan ketika dibukanya pintu bagi latar belakang disiplin ilmu berbeda untuk mengikuti jenjang magister dan doktoral. Saat ini sarjana hukum sudah banyak mengikuti program magister ilmu ekonomi demikian pula sebaliknya.
Namun sampai saat ini, integrasi disiplin ilmu masih terdiri dari 2 saja. Ilmu ekonomi dan Hukum (Hukum Ekonomi), Ilmu Ekonomi dan Ilmu Politik ( Ekonomi Politik).
Hal ini masih dipandang belum memadai karena pengelolaan kekuasaan negara membutuhkan tiga (trias) kompetensi yaitu Politik, Ekonomi dan Hukum
Sehubungan dengan hal tersebut, sudah saatnya untuk melakukan trias integrasi dalam satu program akademik yang disebut dengan Politik Ekonomi dan Hukum
Today we see the return of regular columnist Dorothy Nesbit who has written a rather topical article. It won’t have escaped your notice that emotional intelligence is cropping up on a regular basis and this week Dorothy looks at why many of us find it hard to be ourselves and express our feelings within the workplace. (Ed Scrivener)
To what extent is it really OK to be human in the workplace?
We all agree (do we?) that emotional intelligence has a significant role to play in the workplace. Words like “authenticity” and “integrity” are widely used and have a strong appeal with organisations looking to recruit people who display these qualities. At the same time, in many organisations, people hold the belief that they have to show their best side in order to succeed and invest time and effort into creating a professional mask and identity. To what extent is it really OK to be human in the workplace?
As early as 1973, Dr. David McClelland published a paper, Testing for competence rather than for intelligence, in which he argued that classic aptitude tests (the type that might, for example, predict performance in school exams) were a poor predictor of later performance in the workplace. He posited the idea of testing for competencies – those attitudes, traits or behaviours that differentiate the more outstanding performers in a particular job. McClelland’s ideas have since been widely tested in the workplace even whilst scientists have been making significant discoveries into the workings of the brain.
Daniel Goleman, himself a student of McClelland, has been widely credited with coining the term “emotional intelligence” and his book Working With Emotional Intelligence outlines a model for effectiveness in the workplace which draws significantly on the work of McClelland and others. Emotional intelligence recognises that our effectiveness in the workplace reflects our ability to tune in and respond to the full range of information available to us, including our own emotions.
You might expect, then, a growing trend towards encouraging authentic self- expression in the workplace. You might also expect that this would lead to higher levels of engagement at work. You might even expect that this would be desirable to employers: higher engagement leads to improved work outcomes as a result of increased discretionary effort. But is it really so? Working (as I do) as a coach to senior leaders I notice how often I am party to the sharing by clients of thoughts, feelings, desires that they hesitate to share with colleagues, even whilst they wish their colleagues would understand them better. Surely there’s some paradox at work when all the research points to the benefits of such sharing and still, it’s not happening?
"I don't know how, but I'm not asking for help"
Reflecting on my own experiences, I see some clues as to why this might be so. A first clue lies in my experience of joining the workplace: one thing I took from my upbringing was the idea that there was a “right” and a “wrong” answer to everything – and the idea that often I was wrong. I entered the workplace (as much as the rest of my life) with a fear of learning that yes, I was indeed wrong. This did not make it easy for me to share my fears and to seek the help and support I needed early in my career. It also took many experiences for me to learn, finally, that I was not alone in putting on a brave –but not entirely authentic – face. For a while, it seemed to me that everyone had it sussed – everyone but me, that is. I wonder how many others would share similar experiences of hiding their human face because their upbringing and education has not prepared them to show themselves fully at work.
Later, I learned of a second challenge when it comes to the authentic sharing of our human selves: it’s actually rather hard work! Perhaps the first experience I had of working in an environment in which such sharing was encouraged was as a volunteer, supporting Ian McDermott and his colleagues in training large groups of people in neuro-linguistic programming (or NLP). This was set up with the expectation that, as a member of the support team, I would have as much learning opportunity as participants. Team members were allocated a learning partner, for example, and supported by their coach and their team leader. I used to love the morning “huddle”, in which we came together at the beginning of the day to check in and to prepare for the day ahead. I felt supported in being myself as well as relishing an environment in which people were looking out for my successes. This was quite new to me. At the same time I quickly learned that, as much as it was safe to share what was going on for me, the invitation was always for me to learn. This was quite different from what I often experienced in the workplace where the invitation was to collude. This was the difference between “yes, your colleague was in the wrong” and “so what’s the learning for you?” I came to welcome this approach which led me quite quickly to recognise my love of coaching and still, it required of me a willingness to take responsibility for myself and for the quality of my experience which was new to me and for which, initially, I was ill-prepared.
Be yourself...
A third reason why it can be hard to be fully human in the workplace is this: it’s not always fully welcomed by others. This can be a little circular. It takes trust, for example, both to share ourselves fully and to receive each other as we share. As part of my own practice I am a student of Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication and make it my aspiration and my discipline to share my feelings, needs and observations and to make clear requests as well as to seek to connect with the feelings and needs of others. Recently I fielded a request from a colleague and decided to explore the request with her so that I fully understood it before saying yes or no. This was received as a criticism which was not my intention. Suddenly, I found myself seeking to handle a conversation with someone who was acting on an inference (that I was criticising her) as if it were true. Oftentimes, in the workplace we find that our open and honest self-expression is not received with a glad heart by others.
Perhaps a fundamental reason why we struggle to be fully human in the workplace is that we don’t know how. As a broad generalisation, Western cultures sponsor rational thinking heavily and discourage the expression of other aspects of our experience such as bodily sensations (our gut reaction) and feelings. Since those from whom we learn come from this background they are not always good teachers when it comes to being fully human. This can present a particular challenge for those of us who enter the professions likely to be reading this article – including members of the HR profession, trainers, consultants, coaches. Many people are drawn to these professions precisely because (like me) they didn’t thrive in the environments they grew up and they want to see something different. At the same time, they lacked role models from whom to learn and face the risk of hypocrisy as they seek to educate others whilst overlooking (or struggling with) their own limitations.
I’ll be expanding on these thoughts at my blog. In the meantime, I wonder, what has been your experience of being fully human in the workplace? And what do you aspire to at work when it comes to being fully human?
About the author:
Dorothy Nesbit, Leadership Coach, unleashes innate leadership potential through powerful, compassionate and authentic relationships. Blog | Website
Addendum Our regular columnist and next week's writer John Hepworth has an assoication with the Occupational Psychologists JCA, who recently produced the following report about Emotional Intelligence that may be of interest to our readers.
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Discuss HR is the blog for Human Resources UK, the leading LinkedIn group for those involved with HR in the UK. Next week’s Discuss HR will be published on Thursday 30th June and will be written by HR Consultant John Hepworth.
This week’s Discuss HR is brought to your via a (very wet) campsite and the wonders of WiFi.Whilst I may be attempting to garner some sympathy for my damp holiday, it is more an illustration that Discuss HR is now firmly a weekly event.On that note I am pleased to announce that all our columnists will continue until the end of the year.As always we have regular guest writers and today we welcome Mark Ions, an experienced HR recruiter.Today Mark looks at how HR can improve the recruitment process. (Ed Scrivener)
How HR can help
Is the recruitment market in 2011 different to what it was four years ago? You may be reading this pondering why I’m asking such a ridiculous question – you’re shouting at the screen - of course the market is completely different! But is it?
At the peak of the recruitment boom back in 2007 companies couldn’t recruit quickly enough and recruitment consultancies took the money off their client’s hands even quicker. Recruitment practices reached an all time low; CV’s being sent without the candidates permission became commonplace, forcing candidates to take jobs they were not interested in was practically accepted and the daily harassing of HR departments by a recruiter was an everyday occurrence.
In essence high fees were being charged for sub-standard practices.
In 2007 I launched Exclusive Human Resources, little did I know that the economy was about to change dramatically; Northern Rock went pop quickly followed by the rest of the banking sector. Companies stopped recruiting. But then good news - in 2010 we saw tentative growth and a rise in GDP. 2011 has seen a confused economic picture with a fragile economy, Greece about to default...but steady growth all the same.
So back to my original question – four years later, have things in recruitment changed? No.
The typical recruiter?
Why? Because we still allow these practices to happen. Recruiters are viewed as nothing better than estate agents or used car sales people. This view is not helped by the appearance of Natasha Scribbins on last night’s BBC Apprentice with her typical in your face recruitment sales approach.
In order to change the practices that happen within recruitment we need to be educated as to why these practices happen and ultimately, what we can do to prevent them from continuing to happen. This process starts by understanding there are two sides to every coin, understanding both sides will allow us to stamp out these practices.
So as an HR professional, what should you expect from your professional recruitment partner? Well in essence you should expect a lot. In summary:
A good recruiter will want to develop relationships; they will want to go that extra mile for you and deliver a superb end result.
They will give you a consultative approach. This does not mean sending you ten CV’s by close of play today. It means meeting you and asking what you want. Not assuming you are the same as everyone else.
They should manage your expectations and demonstrate thorough market knowledge. If you are being unreasonable regarding the salary you are looking for, they should explain that. Test them out! Try to avoid the jack of all trades, master of none consultancies.
A basic premise of recruitment but one not practiced by all – Identifying excellent candidates. They should send you three or four relevant, fully briefed candidates. We regularly hear of agencies still sending ten to twelve CV’s!
Ensure that your consultant is speaking to the candidates before they send them over. This way you don’t waste your time reviewing and selecting candidates that are not interested in working for you!
Ask your recruitment partner to quantify their service. What do your recruiters actually do? Do they just send you 10 CVs off their database and then expect a fee? Get it quantified and ask they carry out the following as a minimum:
Consultation with you, Advertise, Identify quality candidates, speak with candidates on their database, shortlist, organise interviews, give them a briefing – very important, handle the offer stage and finally follow up once they have placed a candidate into your vacancy.
Above all they must be professional, ethical and transparent.
Now that you know what to expect from a professional recruitment partner, you need to fully understand what role HR must play in improving standards. You may feel this is a brave subject to blog about when my audience is made up mainly of HR professionals, but I genuinely believe that in order for standards to improve, both HR and recruiters must understand the role they each play in a successful recruitment process:
Don’t start a CV race by using multiple agencies. You need to be looking for quality – Not quantity. You need ONE excellent candidate, so why use five agencies??? Why do you need five CVs from each agency? It defeats what you are paying for. You are saying that speed is the basis for going out to five agencies – NOT who will do best quality job for you. We recently experienced one HR department that went out to fourteen recruitment consultancies!!!
By going out to multiple agencies you are not giving a commitment to any one recruitment consultancy – you are not putting your faith in any one true partner. What commitment do you think the consultant then feels back to you?
CV sifting is a fulltime job!
It is guaranteed you will see a flurry of activity initially. But when the hard work is required the service drops.
Give your recruitment partner exclusivity. This shows commitment, it shows faith and is rewarded with a higher level of service – normally!
You state you want a better spread of candidates. What percentage of people do you think are available to move jobs that are currently registered with any recruiter? Latest research suggests this number may be as low as 5% - role dependant.If you go to four or five recruiters they will all be fishing in same limited, active job seekers pond as the recruiters only have time to look at the database due to the CV race!If you go to one consultancy and you afford them the time to deal with your role professionally they can then advise on the best way of sourcing candidates. They can look at the other 95% of the market – utilise their network, advertise, headhunt, conduct a thorough database search etc. They will look at appropriate strategies
I read a quote recently on one blog that stated; “Paying a contingency fee for a multi-listed job is like paying a bounty hunter in the days of the Wild West – And if you pay recruiters like you pay cowboys, you might just get cowboys!” A very true statement.
When it comes to market rates, please don’t brag about how you hammer your recruitment partner down to rates of 8% or 10%, aim for a fair deal. If you pay 8% - expect a sub standard service as after all you get what you pay for. Understand a recruiter has to plough resources into helping you, pay less and the service levels will be cut, simple economics.
When it comes to your timescales please be honest – be realistic especially if you know it’s a tough role. Your recruiter can then truly help you.
Benchmarking – if you are going to do this, please, please be honest. Are you genuinely open to external candidate? A recruiter can tell you how your internal person benchmarks – especially if it’s an honest recruitment partner. Not being honest wastes a recruiter’s time and resources and you will jeopardise your future relationship.
Give Feedback on candidates, this is absolutely vital. Failing to do this can and will, damage your brand perception. We recently witnessed a client receive a wonderful response rate from an advert, something in the region of 100 applications. 10 applicants were interviewed but no feedback was given to the nine unsuccessful ones. The other 90 applications did not so much as receive an acknowledgment. The facts are simple in this case, 99 unhappy individuals that have been introduced to your brand that you have damaged.
Always communicate with your consultant, after all we act on your behalf and need to manage candidate’s expectations. Simple and effective communication allows us to do this on your behalf.
Avoid using Portals/email only application processes. How can the recruiter know what you want, give you any advice and be of any real help to you?
Finally PSLs – if someone breaches your PSL by sending a CV without permission of the candidate – please DON’T use their services. Continuing to use the services and paying the fee condones this behaviour and the message is given loud and clear that their methods work and they WILL continue in this manner.
To bluntly summarise the role of HR in the recruitment process; if you are using poor recruiters and knowingly continue to use poor recruiters – please don’t grumble and tar us with same brush.
About the author:
Mark Ions is an experienced HR recruitment professional who founded Exclusive HR in 2007 which specialise in professional recruitment and HR consultancy.
Discuss HR is the blog for Human Resources UK, the leading LinkedIn group for those involved with HR in the UK.Next week’s Discuss HR will be published on Thursday 25th June and will be written by Leadership Coach Dorothy Nesbitt.
Tops? Tonight on June 15th, 2011, as most of the world witnessed a total lunar eclipse, on the one continent not to experience it, was the 7th Game of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Vancouver Canucks versus Boston Bruins. A Canadian team versus an American team.
During the Vancouver run to the Stanley Cup finals, the Green Men stood out with their antics.
In the image below there they are near the ice and the Canuck player RYAN Kesler #17
The hockey Green Men thing comes to a head in Vancouver 2 days before Green Lantern opens in theatres on June 17th.
#17 & the 17th.
Green Lantern stars RYAN Reynolds who was born in Vancouver.
Al this tells me is that from tonight through the 17th things are green. It does not tell me that Vancouver would win, because they lost 4-0.
The sync is not about the hockey it's about the green light.
Green is also the colour of our Heart Chakra.
The word HEART is an anagram for EARTH.
A Green Heart is a Green Earth.
This time last year various memebers of the Sync Whole gathered in Winnipeg under the moniker of the Cosmic Ti69er. This took place between June 18th & June 22, 2010.
The Libyans & Levy yelling Go and pointing their Jupiter fingers seems more poignant considering the next GO sync that has got my attention recently.
The date July 15th can translate as the word GO.
7/15 = GO! ( G = 7 O = 15 )
July 15th is a Friday and cinema/temple day in which the final Harry Potter movie is being released as well as the new Winnie-the-Pooh movie!
The Harry Potter movie states boldly "IT ALL ENDS."
Funny how Pooh's reaching the end of the Hunny POT by turning it upside down so that the bottom is now the TOP.
Notice the 2 N's or they can flipped as Z's. One as the mark on Harry POTter and one as an N on the Hunny POT.
Made me think of ZZ TOP.
When it all ends it is then time to GO!
As we approach the GO date of ASScension, perhaps many of us, like Eeyore, are dragging our ASSes up to Heaven. Regardless of our slackery we are all going to get there soon enough. (not that I know at all if July 15th is really a Go date for ascension. All it can be is beautiful. Sync is nothing more.)
The occurrence of the number 17 as a date and the number in the picture of the Vancouver Canuck player leads us to revisit the idea that 17 can mean "1 to 7" as in from level 1 to level 7.
There are 7 chakra levels. The 7th is the Crown.
The Japanese Nuclear Meltdown is a very powerful pointer to this 1 to 7 process of the earth's kundalini rising to the crowning state.
The IAEA has a 7 level scale to measure Nuclear Accidents. Japan is a 7.
This is an idea explored with the help of Val Kilmer.
To watch the video I made about the level 7 Meltdown go HERE.
Perhaps another cool sync weaving it's way into the picture right now is Jupiter.
Thanks to the amateur astronomer Christopher GO, we have amazing visual tracking of the Jovian planet.
It was just last year at this time that Jupiter had lost it's Red Stripe. Mr. GO kept us informed the whole time.
Now he proudly states the Southern Equatorial Belt is back among many other awesome and weird happenings to the face of Jupiter.
"Note the two dark red cyclonic ovals on the NEBn with a white anti-cyclonic oval in between." - Christopher Go on June 11, 2011.
Jupiter looks like a smiley face as Stefan put it.
Two red eyes, a white third eye in between and a big smiley mouth underneath.
Christopher Go = Christopher Robin.
This June 21, on the solstice, Cosmic Tigger time, the NHL board votes on Winnipeg officially getting a hockey team back. June 21s is the solstice and also the beginning of Cancer.
The Keystone moment.
The blue man now appears.
On July 16, 2011, the day after Winnie-the-Pooh movie opens around the world, The Blue Man group performs in Winnipeg, the city that the little pooh bear is named after.
July 16, 2010 a year before the July 16th, 2011, Blue Man group performance in Winnipeg, Inception opened in cinemas.
Inception opened on July 16th, 2010 and contained the Red C/Sea.
A Red C that looks a lot like the Red C of the Centennial Concert Hall that will host The Blue Man Group in Winnipeg on July 16, 2011.
July 16th is also the anniversary of the 1994 filming of the Shoemaker Levy 9 Comet hitting Jupiter.
The Comet Inception sync of July 16th was written about here at the Sync Whole last July. Read it HERE.
"I'm walking through the Hundred Acre Wood. I'm frozen with fear. I'm not feeling very good. I'm stumbling through the Hundered Acre Wood if I could leave I surely would. I'm lost in the Hundred Acre Wood. I'm searching for friends. I'm singing a song. I'm making it understood.
Winnie-the-Pooh. Winnie-the-Pooh. Where are you? Winnie-the-Pooh. Winnie-the-Pooh. We need you."
New Update - Jim:
The other movie to open today, June 17th, same day as Green Lantern is Jim Carrey's new movie Mr. POPper's Penguins.
I noticed on a TV commercial the Mr. Popper's Penguins was associated with this weekend being Father's Day, or POP's Day. The clever marketers of the film knew to tie in Popper with Pops.
I've always felt Pop is a pop. God is a moment of realization like popping a balloon. When we pop a balloon the air inside and the air outside become one. Heaven & Earth merge.
Why this Jim Carrey sync is even more cool is that Mr. JC has often been associated with the Green Man as well.
Sync Whole follower @barrychills noticed the Jim "Green Man" Carrey sync and felt inspired to write about it. So I have added his work below:
Here is it:
Harry:
OK to start with i would like to share my recent syncs with mr Jim Carrey/ JC/ 23- always been a big fan of his work but more importantly i grew up on BATMAN and vividly recall watching Batman Forever @ the apollo cinema.
The film appears on BT vision this week as part Vision Film Club's comic book heroes - so i watch it for the first time in a long time - and picked up so much (the 3d tv that Edward Nigma/ riddler theme is very powerful) watch below
The date on the poster (June 16th) is the exact day i decide to write this down which is perfect! The Day after the eclipse/ red moon, i had also recently been reading about JC's resonance with the Green Man on the sync whole read HERE (which was posted on Nov 11th or 11/11 which we celebrate as rememberance day here in the UK,
"I'm wearing a suit that I've had made," he told us. "It's the latest in nanotechnology, so I'm able to project whatever I want on it. I'm going to be revealing that at the MTV [Movie] Awards," he teased. "This is something I've created myself; I'm kind of Bruce Wayne in that kinda way. I have a lot of interesting and very cutting-edge technology that I work with, and I want to unveil it at the Awards."
Aaron EckHEART stars in both 'the core' and the 'dark knight' as two face, directed by Chris Nolan
Nolan directed Inception which opened on July 16th, 2010. One the dates highlighted by Jim in his post.
which leads me back to Green as it is the opposite of RED on the colour wheel - being familiar as i am an art student and have used the colour theory quite abit recently
'Most color wheels are based on three primary colors, three secondary colors, and the six intermediates formed by mixing a primary with a secondary, known as tertiary colors, for a total of 12 main divisions; some add more intermediates, for 24 named colors.'
Which brings me to harry potter 7 (7 chakras)
heart = earth =green charka
greenvsred?
IT ALL ENDS
HP - Hunny POT
'go bowling'
Jim:
I just want to add one more sync.
In Like Mike we have Eugene LEVY telling Lil Bow Wow to "GO!" as he points his Jupiter Finger at the Hoop. (Basketball resonates Winnie-the-POOH through the word HOOP.)
Eugene LEVY connects to the Shoemaker-LEVY comet that impacted Jupiter in 1994.
This year is also a year of biblical scaled flooding and constantly the news has been about LEVEES breaking or soon to break.
To me this Levee/levy sync points to the impending break of a spiritual levee breaking and releasing a flood of spirit. This is the pop. This is the inception we are all waiting for.
Peace
Jim
The Flood of Honey, the Churning of the Ocean of Nectar. The seas of Spirit are stirring!
Oz is over Flowing.
Levees break in Kansas City(Oz=Kansas=Heartland=Heart Chakra)
Mother Mary Momma Universe is about to ride the Donkey. Symbolic of the Summer Solstice when Momma Universe(as received by earth) rides the Sun/Son in the sign of Cancer the Crab.
Gamma Cancri is a star system in the constellation Cancer. It has the traditional name Asellus Borealis (Latin for "northern donkey colt").
The Light/Christ also rides the Donkey into the Holy City of Jerusalem. We are all Angels riding Asses back into our own Holy Kingdom.
Asspiring unto the North/throNe
Asspiring Northward/throNeward is aspiring unto the Crown
ASScension is underway and we are headed UP. That is to say Northward/Throneward.
The North is generally identified with the Heavens or the Throne/Home of the Gods, the Eternal world of Spirit. The Northernmost part of planet Earth is inhabited by Penguins.
In Kabbala the Crown of the Tree of Life - Kether - is considered to rule over the Northernmost aspects of the starry heavens.
Kether the Crown is where totality rests is in its unmanifested state. The Fool Tarot Trump is the first expression or thought in Gods mind to create anything and become manifest. All the Aces of the Tarot are given to the Sphere of Kether. Ace Ventura, the Adventure to Heaven.
The Fool Tarot Trump is given to the First Path of Creation as it Joyfully bursts from the Unmanifested Sphere of Kether GOing towards the manifested state. The Fool connects Kether- the Crown to Chokmah-Wisdom. Joy,Comedy, Lunacy, Laughter, Madness, and senselessness/trance are connected with the nature of this Trump/Aspect of our Soul.
This card is numbered 0, this is perfect as the Fool represents the primary beginings of every-thing, that is everything in its shared state of becoming. This primary state or first premises of all eternity- is the Joy/Comedy/Cosmic giGGle of co-creation of reality through Love. Aleister Crowley noted said this about the Holy Joy of the Fool.
The Fool is also deeply rooted in the Green Man/Holy Madman of Spring. Aleister Crowley makes this association clear in the Book of Thoth.
The "Green Man" of the Spring Festival. "April Fool." The Holy Ghost.
"This tradition represents the original idea adapted to the under- standing of the average peasant. The Green Man is a personification of the mysterious influence that produces the phenomena of spring. It is hard to say why it should be so, but it is so: there is a connection with the ideas of irresponsibility, of wantonness, of idealization, of romance, of starry dreaming."
The Fool stirs within all of us at the return of Spring, and be cause we are a little bewildered, a little embarrassed, it has been thought a salutary custom to externalise the subconscious impulse by ceremonial means."
"The connection between foolishness and holiness is traditional. It is no sneer that the family nitwit had better go into the church. In the East the madman is believed to be "possessed", a holy man or prophet. So deep is this identity that it is actually embedded in the language. "Silly" means empty-the Vacuum of Air-Zero-"the silly buckets on the deck". And the word is from the German selig, holy, blessed. It is the innocence of the Fool which most strongly characterizes him. " - Crowley, Book of Thoth
The Fool in us and the Tarot Comes before all as the 0 or primary state of being but when we are KKlimbing and returning to Heaven from Earth, the Fool is the final/Northernmost Card and Path in our Journey from the bottom of the tree as we approach Heaven/Godhead.
Being that Jim Carrey is a strong resonator of the first premises Fool/Joy/Comedy/Cosmic giGGle, it is perfect we see him arising alongside Penguins which are beings that live in the northernmost TIP of the Planet.
In Bruce Almighty we see Jim Carrey, the Fool, having returned to norTh/Throne of the Eart learning how to Co-Create with God. This is about our remembering of our Soul-Nature, that is beyond form, time, and all other conditions. When culture resonates with the Fool/throNe/North this is a beautiful sign of our return to Heaven, Starhood - Godhood. Were all getting our Thrones and Crowns back.
Green Man Jim Carrey at the North Pole as the Grinch
"THE FOOL is the negative issuing into manifestation; THE UNIVERSE is that manifestation, its purpose accomplished, ready to return." - Aleister Crowley, the Book of Thoth
Aleister Crowley upon an ASS as he ASSpired North/Throneward toward the tip of the Himalayan K2 mountain.
"Each human being is an element of the cosmos, self-determined and supreme, co-equal with all other gods" - Aleister Crowley, The Law is for All
JC as a resonator of Fool Consciousness arriving back at the Northern Throne with the Penguins is a beautiful narrative of our return home to Soul/Star consciousness.
I realized while Skyping with Jim @syncwinnnipeg about my first ever Synchromysticism presentation here in NY on July 15th, that this was a GO date, and resonator of Cosmic Ti69er and Hunny/ and PO(First father)oh Bear. Jim informd me that 7=G and 15=O making 7/15 spelling GO! This is the date that everything GOes UP.
I later realized that I booked my event at /Root Cafe which is at 60 Main Street New Paltz. 60 looks just like the word GO too.
When we ask ourselves who is telling who to GO, we realize that all begins and ends with US, and we acknowledge our C0-Creative union with everything.
Crowley was once in a foolish trance, and let the deity Hadit-who is understood to represent the Star in all of us speak through himself.
"I am the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of every star."
"Come unto me" is a foolish word:for it is I that GO"
Hadit is symbolized by a Red Dot which reminds me of the single Jupiterian Red Eye/Red Dot/Balloon on the poster for the new Winnie the Pooh Movie. GO and 50 entraining with KeaNeo reeves in Speed, alongside Dennis Hopper who is also in Easy Rider. By seas of Hunny do do we receive the Flood and return to Heaven.
"THE FOOL is the negative issuing into manifestation; THE UNIVERSE is that manifestation, its purpose accomplished, ready to return." - Crowley, the Book of Thoth
"When anything that's anything becomes nothing that's everything And nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have"
Only time will tell if I'll allow The scenery around to eat me alive
I want to sleep for weeks like a dog at her feet Even though I know it won't work out in the long run So I burn down the walls, breathe like a shadow Those arms I once knew hold me like ghosts I learn how to speak forgotten language I fall in the sea but forget how to swim
When anything that's anything becomes nothing that's everything And nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have
But only time will tell if I'll allow The scenery around to eat me alive
I want to sleep for weeks like a dog at her feet
Even though I know it won't work out in the long run
So I burn down nepal, breathe like a shadow Those arms I once knew hold me like ghosts I learn how to speak defeated language I fall in the street as I howl at the moon When anything that's anything becomes nothing that's everything And nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have
Love- Kevin
Jim: Awesome Kev. Just as you wrre posting thiese additions I was at the cinema seeing The Green Lantern. Outside the theatre were 2 ads for upcoming movies.
Winnie-the-Pooh & Larry CROWNE.
The Hunny Crown!
Kevin: Love and RIP Ryan Dunn of JackASS. Who passed away today, during the Suns entrance to Cancer, which is composed of Two Asses, or Donkeys/Jackasses. This is the ignition of ASScension 2011.
"NUMBERS 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way"
