A Walk in the Woods
The HR Doctor just returned from
a shopping trip to one of the giant outdoor sporting goods
stores in the area. A new backpack now lives at the Rosenberg
house. Thoughts immediately turned to our forest property in
the Sierras, far from Florida. I recalled the hiking, camping,
stargazing, music playing things that all seem to be more
fun and more peaceful in a mountain wilderness than in its
urban counterpart.
I also recall how the problems
of a county chief administrative officer or a director of
human resources would start to fade away in the forest. Or,
and this happened frequently, some creative solution to an
annoying issue would suddenly enter my brain.
When the new backpack was opened
up, important points jumped out for public administrators to
consider. The first was a reminder of an approach to reduce
tension and help with creative thinking. A person doesnt need
to own a small forest or even live close to the mountains to
visit there.
Albert Einstein used a "journey
of the mind" technique to imagine a situation such as a rocket
approaching the speed of light. While walking in his European
urban environment, his mind would be focused on how the
situation could play out and what the answer to the problem
might be. Its hard to argue with a technique that worked for
Al!
When you are sitting in an
interminably long staff meeting with speaker after speaker
droning on about the number of paper clips purchased in the
past year, try doing two things. Learn from the boredom and
annoyance of this type of sleep-inducing meeting so, as you
grow up as an administrator, you will not subject your
colleagues to naps before their time.
Second, go on a "journey of the
mind" to a favorite place, such as a forest. Go for a mental
walk in the woods. Focus on a particular issue that is
bothering you and look for a solution amid the sounds and
sights of the scenery. Of course, it is important in the
middle of a meeting that you not appear to be enjoying
yourself too much! If you practice this approach, you will
likely find some, but sadly not all, of the answers you
seek.
The other backpack wisdom to
share with you is the importance of recreation
of doing
something you love.
Make room for more of it in your
life. There is a saying among guitar players, "You dont stop
playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop
playing." Recreation is one of the major life activities. It
is increasingly important to the best candidates for top jobs.
An important component in a decision to accept a new job and
perhaps move to a new community will be the access it affords
the new employee to places where recreation can be
enjoyed.
Just as a strong library system
is a key marker of a strong community, recreational access is
another marker. These words should make the hearts of park and
recreation professionals beat faster. Living close to a
recreational treasure makes for a better life and a better
community.
The joys of recreation are
definitely not only athletic. The passions of "re-creation"
apply equally to art, music, reading, chess, and writing HR
Doctor articles. Recreation for many people involves community
service and volunteerism as well. This doesnt mean that we
should all apply to work in those places like Mariposa County,
California home to Yosemite National Park. It does mean that
policy makers need to pay greater attention than ever before
to the work-life/family-life balance important to employees
and applicants.
HR policies such as flexible
schedules, telecommuting, combined leave policies and more
will be the HR markers distinguishing a modern agency from one
that is only now beginning to plan for millennium
celebrations.
The personal bottom line for
public administrators is that the pressures of work, the
growth in complexity of decision making, the risks of
liability or failure are all forces that need to be balanced
in our lives. Finding things that excite us and people to
share them with helps us to see life from a vantage point
other than the edge of our desks.
Dont wait until you retire or
become seriously ill to discover what you have missed! Dont
worry about missing some time from your office. Thats what
leave time is for. Just remember that when you die, your
in-box will still be full. Now, about the concept of a
sabbatical for professionals other than educators
!
On that note, the HR Doctor
invites readers to "take a hike!"
Phil Rosenberg http://www.hrdr.net/
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