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TLS Continuum Toolbox Newsletter – I am a Rebel, Are You?

Dictionary.com tells us that a rebel is ” a person who resists any authority. control, or tradition.” IN tat sense I guess I am a rebel. Let me explain further.

Back in 2008, when I was seeking a full time HR position, I had a recruiter tell me that I was a recruiter’s worst nightmare. I had such a varied background he did not know what to do with me. He was seeing the marketplace as he was. He, as many talent acquisition specialists do even today try and put a square peg in a square hole.

Consider these points of why he was not seeing the world as it is. These points are from my background as presented to him.

#1 Degree is in education – Coming out of college I had a degree in education and taught middle school science for 6 years. Those skills are transferable to the learning and development efforts of today’s organizations.

#2 Worked as an investigator/auxiliary law enforcement officer – These skills are transferable to resolving workplace investigations and/or resolving problems. The investigative skills are of value to the current environment of the spirit of inquiry.

#3 Worked in the real estate industry – My area of expertise was working with corporate transfers in what might be one of their most difficult periods of their lives. These skills are transferable to the organization in the form of being able to be a coach and advisors on workplace issues.

#4 Worked in corporate sales for a major retailer – My job was working as part of a team to determine, find and deliver the organizational print requirements. These skills are transferable to participation in cross-functional teams. Let me digress for a moment to the book Toyota Talent by Mike Rother in which he relates that when Toyota started their Kentucky plant, they hired a manager not because she had automobile experience, but she had manager experience from Target.

Here is my point. When we begin the process of building our cross-functional teams, we need to get out of the view of the world as we see it. We need to look for the skills that one may have available to facilitate the work of the team not a contained view of who should be on the team. You have a job to do. It is not necessarily a place for your friends or those who think like you do.

When I am advising my clients on how to implement continuous process improvement my view is not confined to the problem. It is looking at the total organizational development aspects of the solutions. We are concerned with how the technical and the socio sides of the organization interrelate to bring about the required new normal in the organizational culture.

From the aspect since I see a much broader view of the world, I guess I am that recruiter’s worse nightmare. I guess I am that rebel since as Col. Ed Hubbard (USAF retired) suggested in his phenomenal book Escape from the Box, I don’t think like others think. So join the ride of your life and become a rebel with me. It is a ride that will change both your career and your outlook on life itself.

About the author: Daniel Bloom knows HR and Change Management. He’s a speaker on transformational HR, a strategic HR consultant and trainer. Looking to ways to enhance your vale to your organization? We now offer virtual fully accredited six-sigma yellow belt certification training. Learn more at https://tls-continuum-learning-center.thinkific.com/courses/the-road-to-operational-excellence-the-hcm-edition