People have asked me, “What is different about me in HR?” I always say, “I don’t do cupcakes.” I don’t want to organize the birthday parties either. Don’t get me wrong, I respect what these things do, but that’s not what I do. If you’re looking for someone to run your social department, I am not it. I am a business person and I am going to drive the results AND take care of people—without cupcakes.

What has been the single greatest motivation in your career as an HR professional?
My first passion is people. I love people’s stories. I don’t just work with individuals who perform tasks. I want to know who they are. I want to know what’s going on to the extent that they’re willing to share. My other passion is creating workplaces where people are looking forward to showing up to work.

I actually chose to redirect my career to HR because I was in operations for many, many years. I noticed that, for reasons that I did not understand at the time, I was repeatedly being given disgruntled, dysfunctional teams and being told to, “Go clean that up.” Within a few weeks or months I would end up with a very high performing team. I thought, well I am no smarter than others, but I am doing something differently, so, “What is that about?”

Comfort is very uncomfortable because in my mind I am not learning, I am not growing, I am not contributing. I had a very successful career in food and beverage. I opened and ran three 5-Diamond restaurants. I was being given great opportunities. I didn’t run away from what I was doing, but I felt I had accomplished what I wanted to in food and beverage. I thought, “Okay, I know I can do this, but I am too young to be out of a dream. So what is my next dream?”

So from my operations, I went on to study industrial psychology to find out what I was doing differently. I got to understand how we react in the workplace and what motivates us.  I’m also an avid reader and constantly poking around for answers to my questions.

From what I learned through my studies, I chose to go into HR because very humbly I wanted to change to a place of peace. I wanted to be in HR and show organizations that you can take care of your top line, your bottom line AND your people. It’s not enough to taking care of one or the other.  I was really determined to show up in HR, have it my way and prove that it works.

What would be your best piece of advice you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?
I’m a coach and a big believer in supporting people. There are two things: one piece of advice I wish someone had given me and another that I give to others often. The piece of advice is to find something that puts some bounce in your step regardless of what that is. Otherwise, it makes for very long days.

In the hospitality industry, we interact with people all of the time and it is both rewarding and extremely demanding.  I tell people, “If you don’t get a kick out of making a client happy, if it doesn’t bring a smile to your face when you know you have delivered an amazing customer service experience, then get out.”  Otherwise, everyday is going to feel like forever.

I work with young people and I push and push, “What do you like? What do you get lost in? What have you been doing when you’ve been at something for two hours and did not notice that time had flown by?”

We’re here to take care of human beings. We’re not just hiring employees. Regardless of what is going on with the business, my team and I always have time; a call from a colleague, an employee, an associate—that’s the priority. People know that, “Okay, even if things get rough, someone is there to care about how we’re doing.”

What do you see as the biggest opportunities/challenges that have you most inspired about HR’s future?
We’re becoming change agents. With that change comes a need for a different leadership. I lovingly refer to a bunch of old dinosaurs, including yours truly, that are leading some organizations. We are going to have to redefine what is excellence in leadership behaviour. We need to accept the fact that it is okay to be human in the workplace. It’s not easy for a leader to admit what they don’t know.

Yes, we need to keep an eye on the PPI because a business that doesn’t make money, doesn’t make sense. We need to become absolutely and fully aware of the business inside out.  We have to know the key drivers, what we’re after and where we can make a positive impact for the organization. So, of course, we have to drive the results—and we have to take care of the people. Otherwise, that is a short term equation that doesn’t work.

We have to create a set of leadership behaviours and competencies relevant for now; I promote and advocate for values-based leadership and I am not talking about Anthony Robbins and being on top of the world. I am talking about being predictable, being kind, caring for one another, bringing the individual into the equation.

It’s about being business people first and earning the trust of employees; my operators and departments that support them are my clients and it is helpful to approach it that way.

What aspect of HR have you seen change most greatly in the past 10 years?
Going back even further, HR used to be populated by individuals who failed in accounting. If you sucked in accounting, but were kinda’ okay with numbers, you were a fit for the personnel department because you are going to take care of payroll anyway. That has definitely changed, but the truth is I think that many organizations are annoyed that they have to listen to HR.

I know they’re tired of those HR departments in ivory towers that come up with beautiful PowerPoint presentations and a 10-step program that when the operators get it they want to puke. It’s not uncommon for HR to be working in isolation looking for the next model, the next thing they want to do, when we should be looking for ways to connect to the business.

I think the most exciting element right now is what I think of an underground revolution that is affecting everyone with the demands for transparency and the impact of social media.  As businesses we are done being able to hide. If you don’t play nice in the sandbox, it is a matter of minutes before that gets out. I am not talking about being perfect because we still have the right to be human, but if you treat people like crap, people are going to know. If that happens, you’re not going to be able to hire anybody.

It’s a change forced upon organizations as a result of an increasing need to make sure that our employees are checked in—that they care about what they do.  If I am going to leave them alone for eight hours I need to know they are going to a good job on their own.  This is forcing changes and HR is becoming a partner.  It’s not there yet, but it’s changing. It’s happening.

What lies at the heart of effective communications for you as a leader?
As a coach, I sit, I listen and I have gone, “Aha! Oh, yeah” more times than I can count. There is a lot to be learned from listening.

But, we have to listen with intent before we can speak. We need to listen to what is being said and not being when we interact with somebody. When that is with the president, we need to make sure we really understand the message. When that is with an employee, we need to let them work through what they have to say, really listen and not be making up not thinking we already have the answers.

Whatever you are trying to achieve as an HR professional, translate that into a business outcome that is palatable to the person. Don’t just say, “Let’s do this because it’s the right thing to do with employees.” I don’t drive employee engagement, I drive business results. My way of driving that is through employee engagement.

(PeopleTalk Summer 2014)