Hot Topics in HR - Has HR Lost Its Why?

“Mind the gap please.”

“Please mind the gap between the train and the platform,” blares the metallic and sometimes human passenger safety Public Announcement on the London Underground. The voice warns travelers, harried commuters and tourists about the danger lurking between the stability of the platform and the enclosed safety of the arriving tube (train).

And quite right!

In this context the gap is a place of danger and life-changing injury, or worse, even death.We are conditioned to believe that all gaps are perilous places to be avoided at all costs.

Perhaps we are being duped, misled even held back - not from danger, but from finding value?With a different mindset the gap offers something more than a hazard. Instead, it becomes a road to redemption and relevance.

For those who dare and care to explore consider this.

“There's a gap between where you are and where you want to be. Many gaps, in fact, but imagine just one of them. That gap –is it fuel? Are you using it like a vacuum, to pull you along, to inspire you to find new methods, to dance with the fear?Or is it more like a moat, a forbidding space between you and the future? Seth Godin

Gap is the space in between. At the edges of commonly held wisdom and the status quo, if you look hard enough in the ecotones you will discover; "new ‘ways of being’ create new possibilities, and new possibilities create ‘new ways of being’. Fiona Tribe – White Owl wisdom.

Minding the Gap - The Antidote to HR as Usual

Ever wonder ‘Has HR Lost Its Why?’ Ever feel that you could contribute more value? Ever dream about making a real difference?Me too.Could minding the gaps be a chance to deliver impact and relevance through HR?

• Culture gap.

• Talent gap.

• Knowledge and skill gap.

• Empathy gap.

• Ethics gap.

• Technological gap.

• Pay gap.

• Contribution value gap.

• Generational gap.

• Diversity gap.

[bctt tweet="Minding the culture gap is the antidote to HR as usual" username="AquariusHRLtd"]

Most folks would rather ignore the gaps and let sleeping dogs lie; preferring the stupor of what Margaret Heffernan calls willful ignorance.

Blind compliance with eons-old best practice (with dubious value and use) in service to the dictates of The Establishment shield against taking uncomfortable, alternative action. You are familiar with that ‘la-la-la can’t hear you’ approach of conflict avoidance and selective blindness to fault lines that can lead managers and organisations into the weeds.

• Higher ranks vs lower ranks.

• Front of house vs back of house.

• Existing employees vs newbies.

• Office staff vs shop floor workers.

• Permanent employees vs temporary help.

• People like us vs other.

• Creativity vs compliance.

• Best practice vs good practice.

• I am sure there are a few gaps you can add to the list.

People who mind the gaps are a different breed – a beacon of light, a band of warrior fixers, connectors, and bridge builders.

They embrace the risk that comes with standing up and speaking out to champion the cause to create a better reality and brighter future.

You will find them delving into the nooks and crannies where others have dropped the ball – raising the question ‘WHY?’.

They shine the bright light of awareness in the dark spaces and the deep crevices in the organisation’s culture. Follow the track of that beam and you will discover the difficult topics, uncomfortable discussions, strained relationships, ideas that rock the boat and opportunities that demand we change our behaviours.

These are the mindsets and behaviours that hold us back from progress. This is where you can contribute value and make a difference.

WARNING: If you are looking for an easy hack or quick short cut through the discomfort and gore to achieve glory, you will be disappointed.

CALL TO ACTION: Tired of muddling through and paying lip service to political expediency?

Good! Let’s get to work.

Lift the lid to reveal conventional constructs and cultural constraints.Begin to notice the gaps and care enough to ask, "why are we continuing to think and act in this way?".Nail down the correct mindsets and systems for positive impact and transformation for the business and its people.

Tackling the gaps may not be easily quantifiable on the bottom line; but it is certainly quickly felt by the people in the organisation.

HR pros and leaders turn off operating on mute or in listen-only mode. Challenge and question the acceptance of the damaging gaps in your organisation. Because if we do not fill the vacuum, what will?

The question is, “how brave is the HR you choose to practise?” Will you:

• Choose to mind the gap?

• Build a bridge strong enough for others to cross?

• Fill the void with value?

• Cross the abyss from wishful thinking to meaningful difference?

• Connect the unconnected?

• Lead the way through the gaps?

Take the first step. Pick one gap to tackle. Begin.

Share how you are minding the gaps in your organisation in the comments.  I'd love to hear.