Lessons from My Past

I remember times in my past life in human resources when I was juggling 23 (count them!) things at once and felt that no one could help with any of them.  Technically, I was right.  No one could help because of the confidential nature of the work that HR people do.  I couldn’t just run up to the receptionist and say, “Would you please file these performance reviews?  Thanks!”  HR is responsible for complex day-to-day business issues:  recruitment, retention, training and development, compensation, benefits, succession planning, safety, and general labor law administration.  Oh, yes, and one more minor matter:  HR handles the daily issues and questions that stem from supporting employees. 

As much as I could have used some help, the last thing I ever wanted to do was call on someone for help only to have that person or company cause me additional anxiety about whatever I needed from them to accomplish my goals.  HR representatives don’t have the time or energy to deal with companies that over-complicate their products or ask a series of anxiety-inducing questions right out of the box. 

These experiences from my past have made me keenly aware of my clients’ daily workloads and stress levels.  With every client, I try to alleviate any anxiety about what they’re trying to accomplish.  I make sure they understand that I am here to happily burden their concerns, provide them with tools to simplify the process, remove any obstacles, and, most importantly…just listen.