Stephen Tjoa (Author in the works)
“THE IMPOSSIBLE PROFESSION”
Excerpts from the book
“We can never crack the code completely because there is absolutely no science which can predict within a 99.9% confidence level how attraction and attrition can be optimally managed. We would be jumping for joy even if we could get a 70% chance of attracting the best people and engaging them through their corporate life-cycle with little or no disruption to their happiness, the other lives they lead or in any way hamper their personal aspirations and dreams. Hence, my suggestion that it can be a laborious and impossible profession for the most part for those contemplating careers which revolve around people.”
“I wish that the sum of my professional experiences in this space would yield a different conclusion about the top people issues (ie, attraction, development and retention). The fact, however, is that everything revolves around these three fundamental challenges, only the type, intensity and depth may vary. The expectation remains how we can effectively deliver solutions around these problem statements which are relevant, effective and sustainable.”
“As HR professionals, many of us have mastered the art of justifying our existence on a regular basis. We are often told that we need to be able to establish our value to the organisation as many of our value propositions aren’t as tangible as we would like them to be. We do not have sales targets or financial indicators which clearly point towards our worth. We even end up believing that we need to do more than others to prove ourselves worthy.”
“All too often, we talk about how wonderful our mentors are. I am certainly grateful for the inspiring elders I have been so fortunate to come across. Let’s not forget that for each mentor we meet, there is an equally influential nemesis. These individuals are equally important and life-altering. I have certainly benefitted from their anti-wisdom and doubting behaviour because they have laid the groundwork for my search for my version of the Holy Grail – where can I find good leadership? We need to forge meaning even in adversity. What better way than to have a devil’s advocate every step of the way.”
“Aside from donning on an impenetrable outer coat, you must be convinced of the value you are giving. In my own career experience, I understood the importance of adopting a similar lingo as the communities you serve. In my case, they were hardcore accountants. Each organisation has its own peculiar set of beliefs or culture, acronyms, approaches, styles and a plethora of norms which form the accepted language of interaction between colleagues. The key is to incorporate and adapt as much as possible. Never reinvent the wheel.”
“Sadly, many campaigns are borne out of problems rather than a genuine proactive desire to have the best practices. Best practices come with a hefty price tag of money, time and intellectual sweat. I come from a professional services environment where commercial performance often outweighs the need for a culture which rewards good behaviours, people-centred practices and consistent values which bind ourselves to one another. Business will always override every other priority. Let’s not be naïve to think otherwise.”
“What stands out as the only unique proposition will be how we articulate our humanity in our purpose statements and how we live out that tenets we set out to support that compelling human purpose.”
“This impact of insincerity, if not carefully managed, will kickstart the erosion process resulting in the eventual demise of trust. This is often felt in the quality of output, staff engagement and general sense of malaise felt in the organisation. Passion and respect cannot be bought or pushed down in any way. It has to have a foundation of trust – trust that you are being looked after, and trust that one would return to propel the organisation a step closer to realising its strategic business goals.”
“Many of us fall into the trap of communicating statistics as opposed to bringing a deeper context on how the organisation may have evolved and why it is uniquely positioned to be a leader in its chosen space. In addition, there needs to be a narrative which also focuses on the good it brings to clients, people and the larger communities it serves. Static information is best kept in manuals. Onboarding is about inspiring.”
“Leaders often keep many of these aspects close to their hearts because of paranoia. The rationale of which has always been that many leaders feel that employees are not mature or responsible enough to deal with touchy sensitive information. The more we try to rationalise it, the more they want the elephant in the room to be discussed in an open and honest way.”
