Friendliness and Personal Development
Guest Post by Ben Eubanks
I once worked with an HR person who was, shall we say, less than friendly. She constantly sowed dissent among the department. And yes, sowing dissent isn’t something that’s easily recognizable, but she was a pro at it. Her demeanor was rude and obnoxious. At first I was angry and upset at her behavior. But then I realized a few things that (somewhat) helped me to feel sorry for her.
* She had no computer skills in a job that demanded them.
* She dealt with worker’s comp claims all day long (not the most fun part of this profession).
* She had been doing the exact same job for an untold number of years before I even got there.
So, what’s the point?
Well, I wish there was a happy ending to that story. But that’s it, really. All I can do is encourage you not to have people like this hanging around and polluting your workplace. These kinds of employees embody the quit-and-stay mentality. And while I realize that she may have had other factors impacting her attitude, this kind of thing is simply all too common. Have you let your people turn into one of these morale murderers? Have they stagnated in their career? I don’t want to end up like the other person I mentioned. In twenty years I don’t want to be the sour grape who not only hates his job but makes the workplace difficult for others. A few steps I use weekly to keep the flame alive…
* Constant growth/challenge-seek out those difficult tasks that give you greater satisfaction when you complete them
* Networking my butt off-it’s been one of the single most amazing tools I’ve used in my short tenure in the HR profession
* Uproot if need be-consider leaving for another employer if work becomes more of a chore than a joy
* Volunteer-find a way to use your skills to help others in ways you can’t in your day job
* Mentor/be mentored-mentoring is an amazing opportunity for growth for the mentor and the mentee, so figure out which side of the equation you’d like to be on and reach out to someone!
Do you have any thoughts for how to keep that passion for personal development alive? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Ben Eubanks is an HR professional from Huntsville, AL. He pretty much lives online, and you can connect with him on Twitter or LinkedIn. He also writes a blog for the entry level pros, seasoned veterans, and zombies in the human resources space.
Photo credit: gumuz
Thanks for your guest post, Ben!
Funny, I knew someone who spent all day dealing with workers’ comp and was grumpy and difficult too. Come to think about it, I might not be too chipper myself if that was my job…thank God, it’s not.
There’s an article in the latest HR Magazine article about passive aggressiveness in the workplace. I’ll have to read it and see if there are any good tips for dealing with co-workers like the one you describe.
I know your bigger point was not dealing with others’ behavior but avoiding becoming that person ourselves. It’s a good skill to learn throughout life, I think, including at work. Learning to shake off dispointment, boredom, irritation and other negative emotions rather than wallowing in them is something I have tried to teach my kids. And of course, taking ownership for where you are and taking action to move into a different place or otherwise make things better.
[...] out, then please (please!) get out. You’re making the rest of us feel horrible too with your lack of friendliness. This topic of passion at work is something I feel… Um, passionate [...]