The H.R. Doctor Is In
Joining the Resistance Movement
The
HR Doctor has finally done it he has joined a health
club! I did it to help me succeed in reaching a rather modest
goal of losing about 15 pounds, improving muscle tone and
general fitness. In considering the best way to accomplish a
better fitness agenda, and in discussions with doctor and HR
daughter, Rachel, an interesting point, well known to coaches,
athletes and sport medicine practitioners, came to
light.
The
only way to improve muscle tone is to practice "overcoming
resistance." The essence of weightlifting is to push or pull
against weight, so muscle tissue can be built up stronger and
in greater volume than before. Doing weightlifting repetitions
and gradually increasing the resistance over time leads to
improved muscle volume and density.
On
the other hand, trying to make health and fitness progress by
spending most of the time lying on a couch watching television
is likely to improve no muscle density at all, with the
possible exception of the strength of the index finger
operating a remote control button. The way to avoid muscle
decline and atrophy is to do much more than practice using one
finger, and by this I mean, the index finger!
This weightlifters truth about
overcoming resistance also offers important lessons for people
in public service, and indeed, in any organization. Making
progress in any organized endeavor means overcoming
resistance.
Easing resistance to achieve
positive purposes is a key skill of a successful weightlifter
or an administrative weightlifter. Resistance is not a bad
thing. It does, however, require some personal characteristics
that are important not only at work but in life in
general.
The
first of these is the ability and willingness to listen as
much, if not way more than we speak. This is perhaps the
reason why we were each born with two ears and only one
mouth.
Listening can produce amazing
results. For one thing, a person may hear very strong
arguments not previously thought about or considered. What
looks like a great idea at first may turn out to be something
dangerous and inappropriate when we take in the thoughts and
opinion of others.
Listening is also critical to our
ability to succeed, if not survive, in a tremendously diverse
culture where people speak different languages, have different
backgrounds and can bring diverse perspectives to the solving
of a problem.
Along with listening comes a
requirement for patience. Patience is an ingredient lacking in
the bully administrator, but necessary to make the best
decisions. Even in times of emergency it is important to spend
some time, even necessarily a very brief time, considering
whether that first judgment about which orders are to be given
may not be too rash. There is a role for intuitive
decision-making in our lives, but when the stakes are very
high, such as the expenditure of public money or putting
employees or residents at risk, that intuition has to be
balanced by thoughtful consideration.
Resistance training in the
fitness world means developing a plan to begin in certain ways
and to advance over time in a particular direction. The
analogy for organizations is that there should always be a
thoughtful plan connected to reaching any long-term
goals.
Part of such a plan involves not
only patience and listening, but active advocacy to help other
people share the vision that you have a vision which
the administrator must learn to clearly and passionately
articulate.
It
is popular to create organization vision statements, and some
of the ones the HR Doctor has seen seem to go on sentence
after sentence. A personal vision or a government agency
vision needs to have only a few words, but the words need to
be passionate, and they need to stir the soul.
That is why in the HR Doctors
opinion, a budget must never be used as a statement of the
organizations vision. The budget is a tool in advancing
toward the future promised by the vision. But in and of
itself, it is an accountants playground and must be balanced
by compassion for helping people and providing extraordinary
service.
So,
a goal is set and a vision is articulated. A plan to turn
resistance into support is thoughtfully developed, and a
commitment is made to keep at it. The final piece is the value
of not being afraid to ask for help. A personal trainer or a
coach can offer the athlete experience, advice and the
avoidance of trouble. It is not an attack on a persons ego to
admit the need for help. On the contrary, it is a very prudent
step. In the world of the Internet, search engines, life-long
learning available in every community and a network of
friends, there is no reason and there is no excuse not to be
able to find help, advice, support and constructive
criticism.
Overcoming resistance is an
important key to physical and organizational fitness. The HR
Doctor is committing to lose 15 pounds, to be patient, and to
listen carefully Ð especially to the coaching of the beautiful
HR spouse, Charlotte. However, the commitment will begin
immediately after dessert tonight!
The
dreaded villains on Star Trek, the Borg, were known for
repeatedly saying "Resistance is futile." They were wrong. Not
only can it be productive, but it is essential to personal and
organizational success!
The
HR Doctor hopes you join the resistance movement! You have
nothing to lose actually, perhaps you do, around the
middle?
Phil Rosenberg http://www.hrdr.net/
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