HR professional is not a know-it-all and even with the best efforts he cannot reliably read the thoughts of his clients. He knows that his clients do not say everything he wants and needs to hear but he cannot do anything more than guess many things himself. That is why Alan Collins, experienced HR manager, former HR Director of PepsiCo and author of many books in the field of HR, published the article called 25 Secrets Your HR Clients Will Never (or Rarely) Tell You About Themselves on successinhr.com.
What are those "unpleasant truths" your clients think but will not tell you?
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All in all, it is all about me.
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If you cannot help me perform my stressful job better and faster, do not bother me.
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I need to know that I can count on you.
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When you admit that you do not know something, it is okay. But you have to be able to offer me alternative solutions.
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Even if I do not contact you with all the difficulties I have with managing my people, I expect you to support and reassure me.
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I do not understand many of your e-mails because they are long, complex and full of terms only HR people are wawre of.
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It takes some time to gain trust in other people. However, once you get my confidence, I will forgive you a lot.
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Regardless of the high position I take in the company, I often feel fear and I need you to give me a greater sense of certainty in people management.
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Sometimes I cannot admit that I am wrong. If you can do it, you can get my respect.
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I am your client and therefore our position will never be equal.
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I suffer badly when you pay more attention and care to other clients.
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Your excuses do not interest me. While I may show my understanding by nodding, I do not believe you.
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I consider myself a fascinating human being.
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You must win me for changes and convince me that they are good for me.
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I like to hear your comments about my team I can mention at social gatherings with my colleagues or superiors.
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I want you to do the hard work for me but gain the recognition myself.
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If you do not contact me for a long time, I forget who you are.
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When we talk together, I can play with my phone, but you cannot.
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I am lazier than I am able to admit to myself.
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I am more vain than I am able to admit to myself.
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I am more uncertain than I am able to admit to myself.
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Nevertheless, I still think that I am smarter than most people in the company and you should support me in that.
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I deserve more than I receive.
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I will not tell you where I make mistakes in managing my people. It is up to you to find your way to me.
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I am more egotistic than I am able to admit to myself (see point 1). Everything revolves around me.
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