Content area
Full Text
Over and over and over again questions/issues of inclusion and acceptance, credibility, respect, and self-esteem, can be heard in any seminar or during any conference:
* How can I be wanted when many of the signals seem to suggest otherwise?
* Feelings of powerlessness radiate as members of the seminar express their frustration at being unable to initiate meaningful change in their respective organizations.
* There is a sense of resignation that in spite of all the good ideas and information, very little will be different when they return to work.
Having the eyes to see the leader who means it...These are more than words to me as they capture much of what I have felt working in personnel and in other staff capacities. Understanding what all this means has been a long journey that only now I am able to understand. As harsh as my conclusions may sound, to me they are liberating and provide me with options I have never before considered (or at least considered with as much passion as I feel now). My understanding only became clear when I was in a position to see the real difference between a leader who really wants to transform their organization and those who are only saying the words.
The sense of urgency and bias towards action is striking when there is belief and desire behind the words. It is under these circumstances that I am able to apply my knowledge of planned change and organization effectiveness, and significantly influence how the business is managed. In fact, without this kind of commitment and leadership, there is a real limit to how much I can impact in a time efficient manner.
The power trade-off...I must accept the reality that I have traded the need for power and control to do interesting and exciting work. To me, this is an important distinction between staff and line roles and one that has become blurred.
Accepting that as true, how have people in staff roles gotten themselves into the position of not having the ability or power to facilitate needed changes? And how, if at all, can people with staff function backgrounds like human resources or quality be better positioned within the organization to really have an impact?