Mr. Right Now, Not Mr. Forever

Thanks again to Sugarland for cementing my thought for the day. The questions that have been pinging around in my head are along the lines of will I be here long enough to retire? Will each member of my staff remain in HR until they retire? Will our awesome intern find what he needs at our medical center or return home after his internship? And on and on the thoughts go . . .

What if the answers to any or all of the questions is no?  I am here now because I have a contribution to make - some day that may change, my work here may be done. So? Does that mean I am not giving it my all now? Absolutley not. I hope that my employees want to stay with HR but if they choose to leave is that a bad thing? I guess it depends on why they leave. Opportunities for advancement, further development, to try something different - all good reasons. Because I treated them unfairly - not a good reason. Will our intern stay? Depends on him and his interests and he has to know that he has a job with me if he does choose to stay.

What the answers to any or all of the questions is "yes?" Cool, I only hope that it is for the right reasons not because any one person felt that they were not capable of change or growth. 

My role is to support and develop each individual, to help them realize their potential and to encourage them to make the moves that best meet their personal and professional needs. Now, I don't want 100% turnover and am surely not pointing people to the door and I am committed to do what I can to make sure that each person has the tools they need to do their job and be successful. I sincerely hope that they can find what they need on our team and if they don't I will support them in finding it.

Ultimately, each person needs to make the choice that is right for him or herself. What we have is working right now, doesn't mean it will forever. Hey, we have no business looking that far out anyway!

Leadership Meme

I posted recently in Breaking Ranks that as HR Leaders, we need to take a hard look at our staff and at ourselves and ask, "do we have the right people in the right seats on the bus to get us to where we need to go?"

Well, I did and really, I look beyond my staff often and right to myself and ask if I am the one to get us to where we need to go? Some days the answer comes back more strongly and confidently than others but yes, I am the one right now to get us to where we need to go. How do I know? Well, in response to Leadership Meme, here are seven qualities that you don't know about me that help me to be a good leader:

• I know that I don't know it all. So, . .
• I make mistakes. Even my daughter's princess wand won't help. To minimize the potential for error . . .
• I surround myself with those who do know and I ask lots of questions. I am definitely data driven and must be able to connect the dots.
• I lead from my gut more than I care to admit. Actually, heart is a better word.
• I am committed to doing and being the best I can. Enter the leadership coach - yeah Abigail!
• I can be trusted - to do what's right, to say what needs to be said and with the oh so very confident confidences. 
• I am not in it for the glory. Didn't know there was supposedly glory in this leadership gig did you?!

And to these wonderful, witty and insightful blog authors . . . tag, you are it! Simon Meth at Sitting Xlegged, Evil HR Lady, Donna Karlin at Fast Company Expert Blogs.

Have a great day!