By Robert Bowen
Just My E-pinion
Today’s guest columnist, an SPHR-certified former lieutenant colonel, shares how he’s learned to make good use of “command” and “compassionate” people strategies. Robert Bowen, SPHR, Lt. Col. (Ret.), is the HR career coach at HumanResourcesCoaching.com.
As human resources professionals, we often find ourselves “switching hats” between two distinct day-to-day roles: the “HR master and commander” and the “HR compassionate leader and listener.”
I have been fortunate enough to have had two careers, and I have seen both sides of the leadership equation. As a lieutenant colonel in the Army, I had to adopt a military style of getting things done on many occasions. On the other hand, during my 20 years of corporate HR experience, I‘ve learned to temper that approach with a “softer” way of getting things done.
Here are some key points to I use to coach HR managers and to help them move forward with a balanced approach in their own HR careers.
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The Urgency of Time
Sometimes you have to act. During Desert Storm, our Army convoy stopped to take on supplies. I learned that an enemy unit was nearby, and we had to get going immediately. There was one young soldier who seemed to not be very responsive. Since I clearly didn’t have the luxury of explaining in detail what was going on, I simply told him to get into his vehicle now (which he did). He was not aware of the change of conditions, and it was necessary to have compliance immediately with explanations (if any) later.
This was a perfect example where the “command” approach was the only way to go. The circumstances didn’t lend themselves to much listening, collaboration, or compassion (except the compassion to keep all of us alive!).
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Friend or Foe
However, in many business situations, a softer method may be preferable.
In any organization, we have people who are “on our side” and those who are not. Friends and allies are easy to work with. When it comes to the others, what separates us is typically a matter of different values, interests, or goals.
The “command” approach may appeal in those situations, but I’ve found that a softer tactic often works better.
I step back and work to discover what the other person’s interests and goals are. Then I can frame my approach and suggest solutions that integrate their needs.
This creates a win-win scenario for the current situation and builds relationships for future interactions.
Strategic, Then Tactical
When faced with an HR challenge, I’ve found that it is best to start by anchoring your plan or suggestion in the strategic realm, and then fill in the tactical details.
Begin by painting the big picture of how the action you’re recommending is in perfect alignment with one of your organization’s already-existing strategic initiatives. Be sure to include the specific business benefits (not benefits to the HR department or even to your employees).
Once you have agreement on the strategic level, work on the specific tactical actions to produce that agreed-upon outcome. The detail will come easier because you are implementing a strategy that is based on a direct connection to long-range goals. Plus, in deciding tactical plans, there is plenty of room for compassion, collaboration, listening, and enrolling other stakeholders in moving the big-picture agenda forward.
When you approach your HR work in this sequence, discussions move away from whether to implement your strategies toward which tactical approach is best to achieve that goal. With your strategic direction agreed upon, you can be open to others’ input for the “how, where, and when” details.
As you interact with others in pursuit of operational accomplishments, keeping this “hard vs. soft” balance in mind will help you to choose the leadership approach that will generate the results you want.
Share your comments with Robert Bowen at Robert@HumanResourcesCoaching.com or use the Share Your Comments link below.