HR: Swimming Instructors Not Lifeguards

Come gather 'round people, wherever you roam 
And admit that the waters around you have grown 
And accept it that soon, you'll be drenched to the bone 
If your time to you is worth savin' 
And you better start swimmin' 
Or you'll sink like a stone 
For the times they are a-changin' 

Bob Dylan’s poignant social commentary is somehow just as relevant to present-day HR professionals as it was when it was first written for a very different audience 60 years ago.

Whilst the context has undoubtedly shifted, the sentiment remains – change is a constant, and much like the rising water it cannot be subdued regardless of how much we resist. Stasis means sinking, and apathy must be replaced by action. 

This is all well and good for capable swimmers of course.

But what about the fate of those who were never privileged enough to learn front crawl, breaststroke or simply even to tread water?

If change demands response, and response requires both willingness and competence, how do we ensure that our people aren’t left to sink like a stone amidst the rising tides of change? 

Well, Dear HR, this is where I believe you can all provide some crucial leadership. 

You cannot transform organisations without people, and any transformation will falter if those people are poorly motivated, under-equipped or lacking the agency to own the changes that are required.

Where many transformation initiatives fail is by addressing these considerations only after the implementation of change.

New systems, product lines, policies or procedures (however well-intentioned) are often conceived by the few for the many and well into their initial phases of deployment before adequate communication, training or engagement with the wider organisation has been established.

Then, when things inevitably start to go wrong, the ‘sink or swim’ scenario manifests. Retroactive training and development courses are rapidly stood up but rarely hit the mark, and frequently neglect the appropriate messaging or adequate substance that emotionally connects people to the purpose of change. 

Most people don’t want the life raft after the event, they would prefer the swimming lessons ahead of it occurring. 

This is where HR can and must be the organisation’s strongest advocates for ‘people change’. The voice of the many, with the focus on preparedness heard well in advance of proposed action - the swimming instructors instead of the lifeguards.

This can feel insurmountable in the face of so much change, and at such unforgiving cadence.

But it can begin with three simple questions at the outset of any impeding transformation:

1. What do our people need to believe?
2. What do they need to know?
3. What do they need to do to effectively support this?

This is what leads to the relevant engagement, communication, learning, and ownership that transforms sinking stones into Olympian swimmers.

Even old Bob would be proud of that change! 

This article was originally written for the Dear Human Resources column in Human Resources Magazine, published by HRNZ and has been republished with permission.