Ronin Spirit

You may wonder, "why HR Ronin?". I guess it's only appropriate to explain the rationale behind it and save readers the hassle of having to google what Ronin means.   

Originating in Japanese feudal period, the traditional meaning of Ronin carries several meanings and contextual usage. According to Wiki , it refers to a masterless Samurai warrior, renegade mercenary, social drifter, soldier, etc. In modern usage, it can refer to a salaryman between employers or secondary school graduate who is yet to get admitted to university. Yet, in media, marvel comics and video gaming, Ronin is interchangeably portrayed as heroes and villains. In 47 Ronin and 1998 movie Ronin, the characters played the role of mercenaries in honour of loyalty and courage.

So, what is my angle in using Ronin?. Well, to tell you the truth, it is more to reflect the crusade in my HR career through the character I am, in person. Though I may have had a short excursion into the corporate HR world, I have experienced samples of the good , bad and ugly shades of how it all fits together, enough to form a fairly conclusive impression. Believe me, more than 90% of HR out there suffer from an identity and recognition crisis. This is so because HR is still very much under-rated,  unappreciated and under-optimized, far from the immense potential it offers. In most places it is still a payroll administrator instead of being the a strategic business 'game changing' partner. Some leaders have misgivings that HR, after being hired, must earn their seat at the executive table. This sort of perception leaves a widening gap between organizational leadership and HR. It's a lose-lose situation that creates serious effectiveness gaps, opportunity lost and failed goals.  I see an acute need to replace this sort of outdated notion with a more dynamic, holistic  collaborative framework in bridging how leaders can leverage HR in driving corporate success. And, this is what the HR Ronin aims to do - to reveal  painful truths, share perspectives, provoke critical thinking, foster radical ideas and shift paradigms. Towards that end, I  see myself operating in the spirit of the Ronin "Waveman", crusading the need to standby the leadership values that we preach to others  Character rather the personality is what leadership is about, so says Stephen Covey in his book 7 habits. The good old military indoctrination has instilled in me why upholding integrity, conscience, compassion, candour and discipline serves out the true meaning of leadership, especially in the HR profession. HR folks are often confronted with "on who's side do they stand on?". Well, HR don't take sides nor do they sit on the fence. The function of HR is to serve the interests of all stakeholders, by offering their best technical advice and leadership judgment. They add value to the strategic plan, operational process, legal interpretation, leadership coaching and people well being. HR does not make unilateral decisions but offers value based advice, even if it's not politically correct or expedient to what the leader wants to hear or do. And, where HR faces adversarial dispositions, then it ought to stick to the values it champions, despite the accompanying unpopularity. That to me, is the fulfillment of a HR true professional's calling. The measure of success to a HR professional varies in many forms and substance. For me, it's about doing an honest day's work (adding value and making a difference in the lives of people who come to me for help). That's why I am a contended and happy person. No matter what happens at work, I can go home, look in the mirror and sleep peacefully, without guilt or regret of having compromised my values or wrecked someone's career/life.  

So far, I have served in 5 companies, but I only mentioned 3 on my resume because 2 were not worthy of acknowledgment, having lasted less than 3 months due to cultural dissonance !.    

That's it. Without fear or favour, the spirit of Ronin to guide what ought to be spoken and practiced by HR and Leaders.