Does Lao Tzu hold a powerful lesson for HRDs?

HR leaders know the importance of investing in their employees

Does Lao Tzu hold a powerful lesson for HRDs?

HR leaders know the importance of investing in their employees. Through internal development programs and mentoring schemes, knowledge is transferred from older workers down through to the younger Millennials generation – allowing for a more engaged staff base.

We spoke to Dr. Raeleen Manjak, director of human resources with the City of Vernon, who revealed why she believes a focus on coaching is the marker of a successful HR leader.

“I truly believe that by providing timely feedback and building positive relationships, a successful HR leader builds a foundation that creates leaders,” she explained. “The quote by Lao Tzu has always resonated and provides a great summary of this work. ‘A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves’.”

And it’s not just ancient Chinese philosophers that Manjak finds inspiring; as she told HRD Canada that a new shift in focusing on the ‘why’ of work is leading to a deeper understanding of performance excellence.

“By focusing on the why, organizations can move beyond the standard way of doing work,” She added

“By encouraging and supporting safe, healthy, and respectful culture, extraordinarily meaningful things can happen with all employees.

“At the City of Vernon, we have an unwavering commitment to health and safety and are focusing on this type of capacity building across the corporation through leadership development and organizational change.”

Dr Manjak will be speaking at HRD Canada’s Diversity & inclusion Masterclass, March 8, 2018. For more information on our speaker line up and agenda, click here.

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