What I Know About Human Resources

After 30 years of working with people, otherwise known as human resources, I have come to the conclusion that there are no fast and proven processes, methodologies or fixes that work every single time they're applied to a human interaction.  Humans are complex and unpredictable. What works one day doesn't work the next. Engaging an employee is dynamic; constantly evolving. In my experience, to successfully hire, lead, motivate, develop, discipline, interact and communicate with human resources comes down to one thing and one thing only - relationships. Yes, the "R" word - insert dramatic music here!

© 2010 Dennis Hill, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Building a relationship of trust and mutual respect is essential if you're going to be successful at managing human resources. This applies at all levels - up, down, sideways and diagonally. Regardless of what your position is within an organization, what industry you work in or what your title says on your business card -- one thing is certain; you have to deal with humans at some point. They may be employees, peers, vendors, customers, the boss, the person that makes your coffee on your way to the office.  It doesn't matter. You must deal with humans - like it or not!

There is no way out of the dilemma of having to deal with humans, but there are several practices that over time can help you be more successful with each human interaction in your life. The exception is toddlers and teenagers. Something odd happens to humans during this part of their life cycles that makes it impossible to develop a successful relationship that is consistent. With these humans, it's truly trial and error every day along with patience and red wine. Lots and lots of red wine!

So what is HR 101 - The Basics about? It's a blog about my experiences as a Human Resources practitioner. I've worked in operations, IT and pretty much every aspect of Human Resources Development while delving into a few areas of Human Resources Management. I've managed operations of various sizes, worked in Corporate America (and survived), read countless of books on leadership, attended more conventions than I care to remember, participated in start-ups and shut-downs (these I don't recommend), and have interacted with hundreds of thousands of humans during my half century on this earth.  If you really want to know all of the boring details, you can check out my profile on LinkedIn.

I hope to share my knowledge through this blog using real life examples based on my personal experiences - the good, the bad, and the ugly!  I plan to touch on the basic aspects of successful human interaction including:

• Communication
• Conflict Management
• Leadership Skills
• Human Resources Development
• Human Resources Management
• Change Management
• Organizational Development

I would love to hear your comments, experiences and/or suggestions on what you are most interested in learning about.  Or, if you think I'm full of hot air -- feel free to let me know as well.  I can take it!