"HRcheology" Learning From the
Ruins
Recently, the HR Doctor got to
visit the ruins of the Mayan civilization in Tulum, Mexico. It
is a famous tourist sight near Cozumel. The ruins were
stunning with step-pyramid temples, courtyards and an array of
other structures spread out over many acres of beautiful
terrain overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
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"Indiana Rosenberg" at Tulum,
Mexico |
The tour guide was eloquent in
helping the visitors appreciate the majesty of an empire that
lasted for hundreds of years and spread out over thousands of
square miles. He pointed out the probable function of each of
the buildings and then left visitors alone to wander through
the ruins equipped with two essential tools for every visitor
to a new place. The first tool is a map and the other is your
imagination.
In the case of the ruins at
Tulum, it was wonderful to imagine what life must have been
like in one of the premier civilizations of the Western
Hemisphere hundreds of years ago. Clearly, this was a
civilization with an understanding of astronomy, calendars and
organization. It had to have specialization among its
employees. It also would have required a governments
structure with diverse functions and a bureaucracy to sustain
the varied activities of a well-developed society (except for
those human sacrifice and slavery problems).
Imagine being human resources
director of such an empire. In a theocratic monarchy, the
essence of that function - recruitment - would be
managed based on family relationships, word of mouth among
people in the same social class and, to some extent, the
professional HR criteria of "KSAs" (knowledge, skills and
ability).
Before we criticize these
primitive personnel-management approaches, it is interesting,
if not scary, to recall that these are similar to the paradigm
under which American government-employment decisions were made
in the first decades of the new republic (i.e., the
"government by gentlemen" model).
What really struck the HR
Doctors thought, however, was how very similar in concept the
Tulum layout seemed to a modern governmental center. Beautiful
buildings, open space, majesty and symbolism, and functional
work areas were all present. It was not difficult at all to
imagine the chair of the county commission of a Mayan
city/county giving a speech before an assembled group of
bureaucrats and citizens. It was not hard to imagine people
lining the streets for official parades or functions on
holidays and other public events. The layout would likely be
very familiar to any 21st century public administrator touring
Tulum in a time machine.
What was thought provoking was
that the Mayans must have regarded their society as permanent,
unchangeable and forever powerful. And certainly thats how
that society appeared to be for hundreds of years. However, in
the view of tourists centuries later, something must have
happened in a relatively short time to turn a powerful empire
into a tourist destination.
The end of the Mayan
civilization is not well documented since journalism in the
modern sense of CNN, supermarket tabloids and radio station
"shock jocks" had not yet come into being (how wonderful that
must have been!). It is likely that some combination of major
myth-shattering natural disasters or man-made calamities, such
as invasions or wars, and the migration of other peoples into
the area eventually led the civilization they once knew to
become the civilization they could barely remember. When we
create institutions, and use words like "always" or "forever,"
we have to be very careful to appreciate that we may be using
these words from a narrow vantage point of
arrogance.
A public agency that does not
keep a sense of its legacy in mind is an organization without
a spirit and perhaps without a vision. Even if there is a
vision, if it is one based on a sense of invincibility, lack
of accountability, and no need to change or adapt to changing
circumstances, the long-term success of the agency is in
serious doubt. The most beautiful government buildings,
whether in Tulum 1,000 years ago, Rome 2,000 years ago or
Egypt 3,000 years ago, may well disappear or turn to ruins.
The basic concept that we all understand when we visit the
place we grew up or go to a high-school reunion 30 years later
is the concept that you can never really "go home" because
"home" is ever evolving and adapting.
In local government, the surest
way to avoid becoming an archeological specimen is to
understand that societies are dynamic and our policies and
attitudes need to be similar.
Better than any other level of
government, it is local government which can or should keep a
pulse on changes in the communities. Local governments need to
be the very first to adapt and take the steps to maintain a
civil society in the midst of change. Those which understand
and grasp this concept are successful in the long run. Those
that dont, cant or wont are in for economic, social and
"civility" trouble.
The HR Doctor learned a lot from
a visit to the ruins, including perhaps a renewed
understanding of how powerful history is as a teacher.
Becoming an "HRcheologist" helps us all keep a vital
historical perspective in mind. I already have the Indiana
Jones hat!
The HR Doctor invites you to
read a great history book - any one will do!
Phil
Rosenberg
The HR Doctor
http://www.hrdr.net/
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