A Good Burn

My staffing ratio of professional HR staff is 1 HR Generalist for every 207 employees. We received a national mandate on Thursday to decrease that ratio down to 1 HR Staff for every 80 employees over the next 3 years. See, we have been working like dogs :)

Bottom line, this equates 10 new HR staff members for my department. I could simply go and fill 3 more specialist positions in kind but I will not. This is a golden opportunity for me to assess our staffing, our services, and our gaps in meeting stakeholder needs to determine where I can add these staff members to make the most impact.

Time is of the essence. I am required to fill the first 3 new positions now. That means 3 new positions to be developed, described and posted by November 1.  I was off today (thanks Columbus!), but I was not. I spent the morning redesigning my department and will begin to seek feedback tomorrow.

Ah, with 14 not-yet-started performance reviews due at the end of the month and a multitude of October suspenses, I am wound a little bit tight. Not so tight I could not stop the train to eat lunch with my 2nd grader and volunteer in the classroom with her (thanks Columbus). 

So much to do right and so little time to do it. My thinking muscles are running through many thoughts, ideas, and options. They are burning. It is a good burn.

Choose to Grow (Strong)

Exercise is not one of those things you can work hard at and continue to get the benefit after you stop. Face it, if you stop doing lunges, your bottom heads south. Exercise your hamstrings, biceps and glutes and don't forget to exercise your brain. 

Working with a personal trainer was one great thing I did for myself. Continuing to work with a leadership coach is another. Don't have a coach of your own? Go find one. Have one but are looking for something to supplement your coaching sessions? Here are a few ideas from two friends in the blogosphere:

• Create a personal board of directors suggests Kris Dunn, at Fistful of Talent.  "If we are strong professionals, we're going to grow a network of folks that we can learn from, and that same group can provide feedback to you to make you a stronger professional."

•  Form a developmental network suggests Alexandra Levitt. "The world of work has gotten too complicated for one person to provide all the guidance and opportunities you need to manage challenges and prepare for the future."

Choose to exercise. Choose to grow. Keep your love of life long learning alive. Find someone to help you. You cannot do this well on your own.