The HR function has developed slowly and steadily over the last 100 years. From the days of Fredrick Taylor's “Hawthorne Experiment ", this function has evolved and occupies a crucial place in Corporate Management today. While I have the greatest respect for the function, I have often called the so called HRD Professionals as Human Resources Damagers. Time and again I have come across senior and HRD professionals who by their arrogant, abrasive attitude and behavior turn off good people. Since they are the frontline people for screening and they have to interview large numbers, approve or reject them, they acquire a big ego and adopt a style that is uniform for all levels of management. Majority of them do not do their home work and have not bothered to go through candidates profiles before meeting them. This ultimately reflects on their professionalism and in turn on their organizations. Let me tell you about an incident that happened four years ago.
In mid February, 2003, I happened to meet the Director - HRD of a large Tanzanian group at Nairobi Safari Park Hotel. This meeting was arranged through common friends and I presumed that he would have been briefed about my background and experience. Unfortunately this was not so. The gentleman had come to Nairobi to interview a large number of people for junior and middle management posts and wanted to meet me first in the morning as this was unplanned. If I were him, I would have gone through the profile before agreeing to meet. He just took it as another mundane interview of candidates looking for a change of job.
I walked in at the agreed time and looked for a great interaction and wanted to present my credentials. Since he was the Director - HRD of a very large group, my expectation was very high. Unfortunately, because of his lack of preparation and arrogant attitude, it did not begin well. We were not on the same frequencies and despite trying my best to adjust to the circumstances, he continued with the hostile, sneering and sarcastic interview and I do not know the reason for it even today. Throughout the meeting he was claiming that their group was very professional but there was nothing professional about his attitude, behavior and interviewing technique. Needless to state the meeting ended in a disaster. I still thanked him personally and by e-mail but he never acknowledged it. That much for his professionalism. The pity of it is that he is an alumnus of a top management institution known for its HR specialization and happened to be in the same age group. I left with a poor impression of him and hence the organization. Many organizations do not acknowledge and thank the candidates who appear for interviews. Good practice is to send them an e-mail after the interviews giving them a cutoff date to hear from you. In these days of legal bulk e-mail software, it is not difficult and costly and your secretary, the proverbial Nellie, can do it.
Since 80% of HRD and Senior professionals exhibit such attitudes, no wonder most organizations do not end up in recruiting good people. The 20% of good people you find in many organizations are there not because of HRD's efficiency. They are there because of the organization's image and reputation.
© Copyright, December 20, 2007. www.madgopes.com . Without prejudice. All rights reserved
The Attitudes of HRD & Senior People - To learn more about this author, visit Madhavan T Gopalachary's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Articles |
|
 EXPLORING POTENTIAL
|
| |
There is no knowing what the limits of human potential are, but we are certain that most of us are not living up to our potential. One person’s potential may differ from another’s, so the possibilities for each of ...
|
|
Program Your Biocomputer For Sales Success
|
| |
Selling isn't something you do to people, it's something you do for them. If you feel as though you're being pushy or twisting arms when you are interacting with prospective customers or clients, you might be doi...
|
|
Do You have a Selling Attitude?
|
| |
Don’t confuse a positive attitude with a selling attitude if you want sales success. You can have the most positive attitude of anyone in your field yet absolutely stink when it comes to results.
|
|
Successful Sales Techniques
|
| |
Sales technique can be improved on almost anyone.
A successful selling technique is based upon three factors: winning attitudes, essential sales skills and the “people skills” upon which the sales skills are bui...
|
|
Selling Techniques 101
|
| |
Selling techniques can be improved on almost anyone.
A successful selling technique is based upon three factors: winning attitudes, essential sales skills and the “people skills” upon which the sales skills are ...
|
|
|
Madhavan T Gopalachary
(Visit Madhavan's Website)
Madhavan Gopalachary, nick name "madgopes"
(g pronounced as in go) given by IIT
classmates, is a Mechanical Engineer and
an alumnus of Indian Institute of
Technology, Madras having passed out
specializing in IC Engines &
Thermodynamics.
He has nearly 35 years of experience in
the Corporate World. He started off as a
trainee and handled sales, marketing,
manufacturing, product management, profit
center management, strategic planning and
corporate development including R & D in
various organizations and at various
levels before becoming a CEO. His last two
professional assignments were at CEO level
before embarking to start management
consultancy business on January 01, 1998.
He has worked for British, Swedish MNCs as
well as very large Indian business houses.
He has spent a large portion of his time
from June 1998 till date in East African
Countries practicing as an independent
Management Consultant.
More details can be obtained at the
following web sites:
mmg.name/
mtg.html
mmgconsu
lting.biz/
Madhavan's articles can be accessed at www.madgopes.com
.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
