The Dilbert Effect
I really enjoy my morning routine. It’s the only time I feel some control over my day. The rest of my day can easily unravel, but morning…it’s all mine. And, the best part of my morning is drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Aaaah . . .
Yes, I’m still one of those people who read the newspaper. Like going from high-test to decaf, I haven’t been able to make the switch entirely to computer news. Partially because I like reading the comics.
Now my favorite comic is Get Fuzzy. Bucky Kat rules! But I’ll save his antics for another post.
My thoughts today are about Dilbert. Personally, I think Dilbert is a riot. Let’s be honest – we’ve all worked with a Wally, had a co-worker like Alice and a boss like the pointy haired guy. And, while we might never admit it out loud, we’ve all compared our executive teams to a bunch of drunken lemurs. From that perspective, Dilbert is a light-hearted, insightful look at the irony of our workplaces.
But I recently heard a comment that forced me to look reality square in the face. Someone asked the question, “What is your perception of human resources?” The answer – Catbert. And, they were dead serious.
Everyone realizes that the Catbert perception exists because the actions of HR aren’t always fully understood, right? While we all might joke about Catbert, we don’t really want our human resources departments to act the way he does. Is it possible that the Catbert joke has gone too far? And backfired on us? Our image and interactions create our personal and professional brand.
Let’s face it, if HR Pros are just going to talk about compliance and act like the police, then that’s the impression our employees and co-workers will have of our profession.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Maybe it’s time to stop giving people reasons to joke about the shortcomings of HR. After a while, people might not realize it’s a joke.
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