Recently Theresa Welbourne suggested that we reconsider some Myths in HR. In that spirit, I want to raise an old - and painful - bit of HR folklore: that there is an HR personality (and worse - this is a People Person-ality!)
This was the subject of an article published earlier this year over at Human Resource Executive Online. In that article, the author Scott Flander explored evidence that HR execs differ from non HR execs. The results do stimulate an interesting discussion, but beware of jumping to conclusions about the 'HR personality'!.
First, Flander notes that the two groups (HR/Non HR execs) are in many ways the same. This conclusion is drawn on the basis of a variety of personality tests administered to clients by a variety of consulting organizations. The tests included the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the CPI (both from Consulting Psychologists Press), the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, a 'Global Personality Inventory' (Personnel Decisions International) among others.
Here are the other observations in a nutshell.
In comparison to non HR executives, HR execs are:
1. Less competitive - less likely to intimidate, manipulate and resort to passive aggressiveness - and sin of all sins, less ambitious and entrepreneurial!
2. Nicer people - more optimistic, sociable, empathetic, self aware and considerate. They tend to be more interested in working in teams, and building consensus
3. However, there is some evidence that the people at the top of HR are in fact more 'business' and less 'people' than those further down the HR hierarchy - there is more similarity among top execs of all functional backgrounds including HR.
The problem with this approach is that it leaves open the door to claim that the real reason HR does not get its voice heard at the strategy table is personality. That is a poor excuse and not one that should be perpetuated. For a number of reasons we must view the idea of an 'HR personality' with caution.
First, we have substantial research evidence that personality only influences behavior when the situation is weak - there are not strong norms or social expectations - one has to rely upon one's own framing of a situation and this leaves the way open for personality. Ask yourself, are making an effective presentation to management, selling your ideas, being accountable, measuring results really activities that are so ambiguous that personality matters? Or, are these skills and habits that can be learned, no matter what your personality profile may be?
Second, if we start to examine that list of strengths and weaknesses we also may find some social framing going on. After all, we have a lovely myth that being tough-as-nails is the only way to win in business (just ask Jack Welch). On the other, we have the myth that HR is for people-people. In fact, this very article risk's re-creating this myth! This point is well made by Gina Hernez-Broome (Center for Creative Leadership) who notes that in these personality inventories, people may be simply reporting 'what was expected' of them
Third, there is a distinct difference between the statement that personality is an important driver of occupational preference, and the statement that it is a driver of executive effectiveness. There is no doubt that personality preferences influence our occupational choices. However, HR executive effectiveness or ineffectiveness stems from what you do. There is not a strong argument that says your personality will prevent you from doing the right thing if you know what that is.
What is your opinion?
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