Paul: I find a lot of folk have difficulty understanding what it is I do exactly. In order to help this, I thought I’d post a letter I received after the last Global HR gathering we organised. It should hopefully give a bit of insight into what I am trying to achieve in building up competent and confident HR leaders who are capable of developing and caring for their staff so they can more effectively get to their mission. Here’s what Moses wrote (it’s not his real name; it’s his chosen “English” name)
To: Paul Cheesman, Global HR Director
From: Moses (Singapore)
The global HR directors’ conference has blessed me in at least three aspects.
Firstly, it changes my perspective as a HR staff. Before I went for this conference, I did not understand why I was in HR, and why I was doing what I was doing. In most cases, my attitude was: “I do it because someone has to do the job.” HR’s job seemed like an “unwanted” job to me. However, when I found out from Acts 6 that seven Spirit-filled deacons were chosen to serve the needs of the widows, I was encouraged to see that HR can be an important, biblical and essential role. Just like how the apostles could focus on spreading God’s word because of the seven deacons who took care of the widows’ needs, it caused me to see that how CCCI (Agapé) could focus on her calling to create spiritual movements everywhere because of HR who cares enough to look after the staff’s needs. I am now able to perform my HR roles and functions with a big picture in mind. Praise the Lord!
Secondly, it stirs up my passion in HR. The change of perspective results in increased passion for my HR roles and functions which results in me taking more initiative to lead. For example, I take initiative to facilitate discussion on Strategic Planning Process for my HR department, and get Dennis Metcalf (area HR director) to coach me in EQ-I (Emotional Intelligence) to help kick start the whole coaching process etc. In fact I have done so well that two months after the conference, my HR manager decides to promote me to be assistant HR manager to take care of the staff development.
Last but not the least, it creates partnership internationally. I enjoyed my fellowship with many national HR directors though I was the only non-director there. I should have realized that it was a global HR DIRECTORS’ conference as its name suggested. At the hindsight, it is really a blessing in “ignorance”. I appreciate The GCX (Global HR website) connection that provides an excellent platform for HR directors to interact with one another over difficult issues. I am especially grateful for resources that global HR team has compiled for us. Materials like “Your First 100 days in HR”, “Coaching”, “Doing Strategic Planning” are really helpful for me to do my job more effectively. Such partnership and sharing of resources and information have definitely empowered me in my HR roles and function. It’s so good to know that I am not alone in this tough, yet rewarding HR journey because I am in the global HR community.
My many thanks to Paul and his team for making this possible for us. I am just so blessed by your hearts to serve us.
