I tend to go through cycles: whether it is a matter of music, quotes, videos or articles, there are periods when I ALWAYS listen to the same songs or use the same quotes or show the same video or suggest the same articles. I believe it is my personal way of managing complexity and excess of stimuli by selecting sources that are linked to my main area of focus for that period of my life (oh… by the way, I am also quite good at justifying personal limitations )

My latest ‘mania’ when it comes to videos is CHANGE2 by the futurologist Gerd Leonard. Here is the link in case you have not seen it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ystdF6jN7hc

When I first watched it I was attracted my the music, then by the catchy concepts like ‘science fact and not science fiction’ but also by the underlying call to action: are you ready for exponential change? hence… what can you do to be ready now?

Some weeks ago I saw the effects of the video on a team of HR and HRBPs engaged in a facilitated session on ‘The Role of HR in a VUCA world’. We used the video half-way through the session after exploring the internal and external changes within their specific organisation and the relative impact on the HR role.

Just before we showed the video I had the impression that we had opened a can full of worms – alibis and sabateours were everywhere to be heard. Homeostasis – or the tendency to maintain the system – was everywhere to be seen in the room. And, finally, ‘yes…but’ was the shared mantra.

Then we showed Leonard’s video and the energy shifted. In the video, the Dutch futurologist reminds us that in the very near future 50% of our jobs will be automated. Nevertheless, new jobs will be created for which the human dimension is key: creativity, intuition, imagination, emotions and ethics are the human traits that need to be fostered.

At that point, all the group started nodding their head as they realised one important thing:

‘Digitalisation, augmentation, automatization are realities that can help HR gain time to then dedicate to developing what will make the difference now and in the future of their organisation: the human being.’

We cannot stop change, we are living in one of the most transcendental times in human history AND it is normal to feel overwhelmed. So, what can we do?

Try this. Change perspective and think:

The only space for authentic and sustainable development is the HUMAN BEING.

So…what is the opportunity for me as an HR professional if I truly operate from the space of putting the HUMAN BEING at the centre of everything I do?

I believe that dealing with people is the most complex and yet fascinating job – there will be apps and robots that generate organisation charts, engagement surveys, policies and rules. What will never be automated is the ability to grow people and support them in their growth.

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