Management not about glamour

Being a human resources manager or holding any type of position involved in management is not as glamorous as it sounds as there is a lot of hard work involved in holding such a position.

This is coming from Manager of Training, Human Resources Department, Scotiabank, Rico Layne, who delivered remarks on ‘The Vital Role of Human Resources Management’ at the International Business (IB) Barbados Secondary Schools’ Symposium 2017 held under the theme ‘International Business: Enhancing Your Journey’, yesterday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC).

“What I want you to remember is that regardless of the role you end up in, as a manager, you would be responsible for people. And this is a huge responsibility. People often look at the glamour of being a manager. But remember, you have people – breathing, thinking, feeling, ambitious human beings, who, for the most part, want to come to work and do a great job, while providing for themselves and their families,” he told the young people gathered at the event.

Layne stated that it is not about ordering or bossing people around, but about helping those who are your subordinates to utilise their skills and abilities and to reach their fullest potential.

“So being a Human Resources Manager is not about telling someone what to do. It’s about helping people to discover their true potential. It’s about being patient while a vision you have works its way slowly to implementation. As a trainer myself, I can tell you that I don’t see the result immediately. It takes time and it has taught me how to wait patiently for the results.”

Therefore, it is less about what type of degree you acquire and more about people skills, he added.

“You will note that I have not spent much time on a degree or on certification. Success in HR is less about that. Yes, please pursue certification in Human Resources Management, Industrial Relations, Management, Psychology or Sociology. It will help you get your foot into the door. Of course, you could also pursue certification in Engineering or Accounting and still end up as an HR professional. But what will keep you there is your attitude, your ability to lead and your ability to create and implement a vision.” (PJT)