Circa 2007, we probably have the highest number of MBAs, PhDs, HR Managers, consultants, professionals, engineers, founders, CEOs, etc. than ever before in the history of human evolution. The number of research papers, strategy documents, dissertations, OD tools, business ideas, etc. is mind boggling and going up all the time. More employee satisfaction survery and training dollars are being spent per employee than probably what some of the poorest nations make per citizen (ok, I made that up, but I think that must be true – it surely sounds politically correct !).
Yet, year after year, we continue to face three simple HR challenges:
· Not able to hire / hire effectively / hire good people / hire fast
· Not able to retain / keep employees engaged / motivated
· Not developing enough leaders to meet business needs
They never seem to change, or go away !!!
Long back, I came across a great wisecrack – “The sum total of intelligence on earth is a constant, and the population is increasing”. So, do we concede that we are getting dumber all the time ? What else could explain that despite putting all modern knowledge and tools at the footsteps of every line manager and every HR manager, we still continue to behave like victims ?
Victims of globalization ?
Victims of outsourcing ?
Victims of a new world order ?
Victims of job cuts ?
Victims of a volatile market where attrition is order of the day ?
Victims of a market driven by ‘greedy’ employees ?
Victims of managing Gen Y at workplace ?
Victims of “we are different” syndrome ?
Victims of challenges ?
Victims of work ?
I believe we are a generation of victims who are victims of our own mindset, attitudes and beliefs, victims of our own doing. As someone said, “My achievements are a result of all the people who have been instrumental in coaching and mentoring me and making me so successful, and my follies are of my own making.”
In this column, I hope to ask some hard-hitting questions (if you came expecting cookbook answers, sorry, please go elsewhere) and make it a learning experience for all of us.
Why this approach ? You tell me 
[PS: This was originally written for li-bs.com on 28-Sep-07]
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