Mr. Covey was on to something...

As I haved moved through my career in the world of Human Resources, I often asked myself “why is HR important”? I found that answer a few years ago…allow me to explain:

Stephen R. Covey's book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®, has been a top-seller for the simple reason that it ignores trends and pop psychology for proven principles of fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity. He followed up this book with The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness. According to Mr. Covey, there is a great unmet need in our world for purpose and clarity. He provides this entry on pages 2 and 3 of that book:

I frequently ask large audiences, “How many agree that the vast majority of the workforce in your organization possesses far more talent, intelligence, capability and creativity than their present jobs require or even allow?” The overwhelming majority of the people raise their hands, and this is with groups all over the world.

He then provides the following data from a Harris Questionnaire of 23,000 U.S. residents employed full time within key industries and in key functional areas:

• Only 37 percent said they have a clear understanding of what their organization is trying to achieve and why.
• Only 1 in 5 was enthusiastic about their team’s and organization’s goals.
• Only 1 in 5 workers said they have a clear “line of sight” between their tasks and their team’s and organization’s goals.
• Only half were satisfied with the work they have accomplished at the end of the week.
• Only 15 percent felt that they organization fully enables them to execute key goals.
• Only 15 percent felt they worked in a high-trust environment.
• Only 17 percent felt their organization fosters open communication that is respectful of differing opinions and that results in new and better ideas.
• Only 10 percent felt that their organization holds people accountable for results.
• Only 20 percent fully trusted the organization they worked for.
• Only 13 percent have high-trust, highly cooperative working relationships with other groups or departments.

To drive his point home, he ends with the following:

If, say, a soccer team had these same scores, only four of the eleven players on the field would know which goal is theirs. Only two of the eleven would care. Only two of the eleven would know what position they play and know exactly what they are supposed to do. And all but two players would, in some way, be competing against their own team members rather than the opponent.

I consider my job helping companies not be that soccer team Mr. Covey speaks of!

Each problem listed above can be controlled by effective Human Resources. Drop the administrative junk and get to real HR! Raise the numbers on the list above and you raise your profit margin, your cash flow and your shareholder value.

Thank you Mr. Covey for helping lay the cornerstone that built Lotus HR – as this is in our DNA!

Jack Walsh
Lotus HR

Welcome to the world of Lotus HR!

Welcome! The first official “blog” and entry into the world of Human Resources as Lotus HR sees it.

Who we are: We are a team of HR professionals who are passionate about “getting it right”…building a better mousetrap…helping companies help themselves…all while anchoring HR into an organization so that companies can focus on what they do best – while “taking care of” the employees that drive the ship.

Why: Because company management is in denial they need HR – we can deliver in a way and at cost – that has real value to an organization.

How: We deliver what is needed – no more, no less. We determine early on, with the help of company management, where the company is going and what role HR needs to play for the journey. We diagnose, implement, and deliver.

This blog will be more of an “op-ed” piece around HR. The blog may include client stories – both funny and sad, will be inspirational at times, but it will deliver our message…HR is critical to the success of ANY organization.

Welcome to our world! Let the games begin!

Team Lotus