In this eye-opening episode of HR Confessions, hosts Rebecca Taylor and Kim Rohrer explore the all-too-familiar tale of an HR professional caught in the challenging position of identifying organizational problems without having the authority to fix them. They explore the story of Megan, a Director of People at a tech startup who finds herself playing the role of Cassandra—the Greek prophet cursed with seeing the future but never being believed. Through Megan's experience with employee disengagement, a resistant CEO, and the struggle to create meaningful change, Rebecca and Kim offer valuable insights on effective change management strategies, communication techniques, and the emotional toll of being the messenger in HR. Whether you're an HR professional navigating similar waters or a leader looking to better understand workplace dynamics, this episode provides both validation and practical wisdom.
Show Notes
SkillCycle's most recent ebook provides a step-by-step guide to gaining influence and driving real change: https://www.skillcycle.com/strategic-hr-guidebook/
Introduction to the concept of HR professionals as "Cassandra" - the Greek prophet cursed with seeing the future but never being believed
Overview of the ADKAR change management model: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement
Introduction to Megan's story - a Director of People at a 200-person tech company in the mid-2010s
The company's experiment with removing meetings and implementing siloed work that became permanent
How Megan identified disengagement issues using company data (08:37)
The confrontation with the CEO when presenting her findings and solutions
The CEO's rejection of Megan's data and suggestion that disengagement is "an HR problem"
The immediate aftermath: an employee resignation confirming Megan's concerns
The cruel cycle: Megan extending offers to new hires while knowing about the toxic culture
Analysis of what Megan could have done differently:
- Sending pre-reads before the meeting
- Collaborating earlier in the process rather than presenting finished solutions
- Translating "disengagement" into business outcomes the CEO cares about
How to reframe HR challenges to get leadership buy-in
Closing thoughts on collaborative approaches to organizational problems
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