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A Human Resources Career is Not for

Nice People
Published on April 19, 2016

Brian Walker Follow

23,328 2,224 7,265
Chief Human Resources Oicer / Global HR Executi

OvertheyearsIhaveoftenhadyoungtalentcometomeaskingformentoringbecause
theywanttoworkinHumanResources.Ilovetomentor,butIliketodoitfortheright
reasons.SoIhaveusuallyaskedthequestion:WhydoyouwanttoworkinHR?
Moreoftenthannottheanswergoessomethinglikethis:Iloveworkingwithpeople,
developingthemandhelpingthem.TowhichIusuallyrespond:Ifthatswhatyou
wanttodothenyoushouldworkinoperationsorgeneralmanagement,notinHR.This
isoftenashockingresponse,butitsanhonestone.ThemisperceptionsthatHRisa
niceplacetoworkbecauseweworkwithpeopleispervasive,andoftenleadstothe
wrongkindoftalentinthefunction.

Tobefair,beingniceisusuallyanexpectationandrequirementtobeinHR.Itshard
formostpeopletoimaginetheirHRpartnersasnotnicepeople.ButIthinkthisis
wheresomeyoungtalentgetsconfused.TheyseeniceHRcolleaguesandleaders,
perceivethattheroleisallabouthelpingpeople,andmistakenlyassumethatbeinga
nicepersonisqualificationenoughforthefunction.However,niceisonlyastarting
pointitisnotnearlyenough.

Fair,NotNice

AsIwasspeakingtoafriendandformercolleagueaboutthisonetime,hevalidatedmy
pointbypointingoutthatinHumanResourceswearentinthenicebusiness,werein
thefairbusiness.Ibelievethisisaveryinsightfulstatement.Letsconsiderafew
HumanResourcesrolesasexamples:

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RestructuringWheneverthereisanorganizationalrestructuretherearewinnersand Back to LinkedIn.com

losers.Dealingwiththepeoplethatlandontheirfeetiseasy.Butinanyrestructure
therearethosethatlosetheirjob,facedemotions,orsometimesendupinarolethat
theydontlike.Thesepeopledeservearespectfulandfairprocess.Niceisjustnot
enough.

DuringmyHRcareerIhavebeeninvolvedinalotofrestructuringprojects.Therewas
atimethatmywifebegancallingmeGrimReaperbecauseduringthattimeitseemed
thatIwasalwaysleadingandexecutingreallydifficultrestructuringefforts.

Irememberonepersoninparticular.AcolleaguethatIknewandliked,butwhodidnt
havetherightexperience/capabilitiesfortherevisedstructure.WhenIinformedhim
thattherewasnojobforhim,hetookthepaperItriedtogivehimwithkeydata,
crumpleditup,andthrewitinmyface.Itwasemotionallyverypainful,forbothofus.I
ranintohimaboutayearlaterwhileshoppinginalocalstore.Hesawmeandcalledmy
name.Ibracedmyselfforwhatmightcome,buthewasasfriendlyascouldbe.He
informedmethathehadagreatjob,andthankedmeformakingitpossibleforhimto
beinapositiontogetthat.Thisisarareandgratifyingexperience,asusuallywenever
getthebackstory.Sometimestheydontturnoutthatwell.Butwhateverthecase,we
musttakesatisfactionintreatingprofessionalswithfairnessanddignity.

RecruitingTherearefewthingsasenjoyableastellingsomebodytheygotthejobthey
werereallyhopingfor.Unfortunately,foreverybodythatgetsthejob,therearemany
peoplewhowanteditanddidntgetit.Itsnotsofuntomakethosecalls.

Compensationisaboutpayingpeoplewhatthejobisworth,notwhattheywant.This
oftencausesdisagreementandfriction.HRprofessionalsmustlearntoexplainfactsand
realitynotonlytoemployeesatalllevels,butalsooftentotheirmanagerswhofeelthey
shouldjustbeabletopaymore.Sometimeswegettogivegreatnewsinthisregard,but
moreoftenwemustfindwaystokeepintegrityinthecompensationstructure.

Talentmanagementisaboutdifferentiatingtoptalentandinvestinginthem
disproportionally.Deliveringthatnewstotheselectedindividualscancertainlybe
enjoyable.Butforeverytoptalenttherearemanywhoarenot,andweoftenmust
explainwhywehaverewardedothersdisproportionally.

Learning&Developmentshouldbeaboutgivingpeoplethetrainingtheyneed,not
whattheywant.

Labor/Employeerelationsisaboutensuringwehaveaconsistentandfairwork
environment,nottomakeeverybodyhappywiththeircircumstances.

Cultureisaboutcreatingagreatand/oreffectiveworkingenvironment,notnecessarilya
niceenvironment.Greatandnicearentsynonyms.

ItsnothardtoseethatthecommonperceptionsthatHRisaneasyplacetowork,nice,
orfun,arecompletelymisguided.Ofcourse,itcanbefun.Butwhendonewell,its
difficultwork.

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Imadearecentacquaintanceataconference.Thisgentlemanstartedhiscareerasan Back to LinkedIn.com

Aeronauticsengineer,movedtoFinance,andnowworksinHR.Iaskedhimabouthis
transitionintoHR,andIlovedhisquote:

IwassurprisedabouthowdifficultHRis.
Designingairplanesthatwontfalloutofthe
skyisaloteasierthanmanagingHR.

Wellsaid.

EmpathyistheKey

IbelievethatwhatHRprofessionalsreallyneedisnotniceness,butempathy.Thatis,
understandingandtakingintoaccounthowpeoplefeel.Wemustdothework,
sometimestoughwork,thatourorganizationsneed.Doingsowithempathy,and
helpingotherleadershaveempathy,makessuchadifference.Asafunction,weare
oftenexpectedtogivedifficultnewsandfeedback,ortohelpotherleadersgivesuch
feedback.Itsalwaysbettertogiveitinanempathicway.

Balance

AsHRprofessionalswehavetokeepitallbalancedifwewanttomaintainsanity.
Balanceinlifeiscritical,otherwiseitcanbecomeoverwhelmingandtemptingtoslide
intonicefornicesakeinorderavoidsomeofthetoughwork,whichisnotwhat
organizationsneed.Itsimportanttotakeabreathsometimesandkeepitallin
perspective.Ilovemyjob,notbecauseitsnice,butbecauseIfindfulfillmentin
helpingtheorganizationachieveitsobjectivesthroughhumancapital.Itisstrategic,
butitisalsoanartthatmustbepracticeddailytobetrulygoodatit.Helpingand
watchingpeoplegrowisgreat.Buthelpingandwatchingthecompanygrowthroughits
peopleisevenmoreimportantandmorefulfilling.

So,ifyouwanttoworkinHR,pleasetakenoteofwhatsreallyrequiredforsuccessand
makesureyouarepursuingthiscareerfortherightreasons.

IfyoualreadyworkinHR,takeabreath,keepperspective,andfocusonwhatsmost
important.Haveempathy,butdotherightthinganddontbeafraidtogivethetough
messages.

Ifyoureneitherofthese,pleasegogiveyourHRpartnerahugandappreciationfor
whathe/shedoes.

BrianWalkerisanInternationalHumanResourcesexecutivewithsignificant
experienceinLatinAmerica,AsiaPacificandEurope.Heispassionateabout
strategicHR,transformationalHRandculture.Briancurrentlyresidesin
FlowerMound,Texas.

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Brian Walker
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Mani Robson 1d
President,Temple & Aegeandas Limited
The Bolenum Project team will be at this event. Visit Bolenum.com and register for your presale. Get
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Jill Bimmerle, SPHR 1d

Nestle Beverages
So much of this is so true!
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