In transition-rewarding encounters

Over the past week, I closed one chapter in my professional career as I transitioned from one company and an incredible team and prepare to enter another, hoping for another extraordinary experience as a people builder and strategic aligner. Undoubtedly some of my most rewarding experiences thus far involved touching the lives of ordinary people and witnessing incredible transformation. One of the recent highlights was an encounter with a young man I call “Bret”. Today I recount our encounter and its subsequent fruit.

One day, I had a call from a supervisor stating that an employee was refusing to do what he was being asked. The supervisor was seeking permission to discipline the employee for insubordination. However, my response was “send him to me for a chat.”

A few minutes later, there was a knock on my office door and in walked Bret. A young man in his early twenties. Braided hair, tall, dressed in baggy clothes. It was his first time being called to the ‘HR’s’ office and he was visibly nervous. “You sent for me?”

Yes, good morning, have a seat. May I have a minute please to finish an email? After sending the email, I apologised for keeping him waiting, “Now you have my undivided attention. How are you doing?”

“I am fine, and you? he replied. “I am good. You are Bret?” “Yes please.” “Somehow I did not remember you as Bret.” We both chuckled. “What’s going on down there?” I asked. He started off “Boy, that man

“John” isn’t an easy man to deal with, he is taking everybody to the office.” Bret offloaded and when he was finished, I empathized with him then asked if he would consider things from my perspective. With his permission I said, “The way I see it is, you are being asked to do someone else’s job even after you would have done your assigned tasks because you are good at what you do.”

I asked about his aspirations in the company, and he mentioned that he plans to migrate. I said, “Well, by virtue of you being here, you are in the history of our company and whether you go or stay, you will be remembered. Every day you show up, you determine how you will be remembered. So how do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be remembered as someone who helped to carry the company or as someone who was carried by the company? Do you want your name to be called when reference is being made of a model employee or as a slacker?

When I was finished, he smiled and said, “I never looked at it like that.” We chatted some more and then I asked, “So what are you going to do when you go back to your department?” With a big smile on his face, he said “Assist where I am needed.”

I told him to come and find me anytime he wanted to chat, and we said goodbye.

Instead of scolding Bret, we had a conversation. Bret had not been with the company long and prior to him coming to my office, every time we crossed paths on the grounds, he deliberately looked the other way. However, since that conversation, Bret has never avoided eye contact with me. Instead, I get a hearty hello and a smile.

Recently while reviewing the results of the quarterly employee recognition scheme, I was delighted to see Bret’s name on the list. The employee who a few months ago was being defiant to his supervisor was being rewarded and recognized for exemplary performance. I was overjoyed. I decided to have one last conversation with him before I exit the company.

While clearing my office, I came across something I thought Bret could use. I left my office, walked to his department and requested to see him. As he appeared, he had a puzzled look on his face as if to say “Why is the “HR” here to see me?” I smiled, “How are you doing? Come with me for a minute.” We cleared the path. “I came to let you know how pleased I was to see that you were awarded employee of the quarter for your team.” A smile broke the searching look on his face. “I am so proud of you. I believe by now you have heard that I am leaving the company, I want you to stay focussed, keep your head up, work hard and seek to get more awards. I want you to have this.” I presented him with the token.

Bret’s face was beaming. He looked down at me, rested his hand on my shoulder “Thank you Miss James, you take care of yourself too.”

Success stories like Bret makes what I do absolutely rewarding.

What an incredible privilege to be a people builder in a world where so many people are tearing others down.

People talk all the time about the positive impact good teachers have in the lives of students, you seldom hear of the impact of exceptional human resource executives in the lives of employees. In so many ways we function as teachers too, we accept, we nurture, we counsel, we build and we believe in employees even before they believe in themselves.

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