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The Human Side of Tough Decisions The Human S o T 9
Consider Catbert. Catbert is evil. Catbert is diabolical. Catbert loves to create corporate policies that bollix up productivity and drive employees insane.
Catbert hires managers who don't realize their laptop computer is really an Etch-a-Sketch. Catbert recruits rankand-file employees who spend their work hours creating screensavers that play annoying recordings of toenails being trimmed. And Catbert lays off the ones who don't.
In Scott Adams' daily cartoon strip, Catbert is HR director at the hell-on-earth company where the hapless Dilbert works. "Ha! ha!" you laugh. "There's no one like that in corporate America." No? Then why do millions of Americans see themselves, their bosses and yes, their HR executives in the strip that's made Scott Adams a rich man?
Assuming you aren't Catbert-after all, you do read HRMagazine-maybe there's someone you'd like to pass this article on to? Or perhaps leave it casually on a desk somewhere, like a pertinent Ann Landers column left on the kitchen table. The Catberts of the world will surely recognize themselves, right?
THE HORNS OF THE DI[MMA
After reading a week's worth of Dilbert strips featuring Catbert, HR professionals can only wonder how the profession has sunk so low. How is it that, after 20 years of steadily developing professionalism and lofty vision, in many companies HR is still regarded-rightly or wrongly-as the department where all good things come to an end?
Thoughtful practitioners at various stages of their careers agree: It's that dichotomy all HR managers must wrestle with: Are they employee advocates, or partners in corporate strategic planning? Choose to be only one or the other, and you just may be a Catbert practitioner. Try to be both and do neither well, and you just may be a Catbert practitioner.
But if you can find that spot where the two roles dovetail and complement each other, you may be able to strike a functional and creative balance that will move the company forward.
And all your employees will read the Dilbert comic strip and scratch their heads-they just won't get it. Well, one can dream.
Find that balance, say the experts, and not only will your company function at optimum levels and your employees...