I attended a session conducted by the man I consider a mentor. He is the consultant of all consultants. Author of the Million Dollar Consulting and 45 other books, Alan Weiss has been a very, very successful OD consultant and world renowned speaker who now is in the business of helping people become successful consultants. Although his half day session was filled with many lessons about the business he had one piece of advice for us to live by, “just stop it” he said.

Low Self-esteem

He said that one of the reasons that many consultants are not as successful as they could be is low self-esteem. Despite the fact that most of them are experts in their fields they do not believe they have anything of value to say. As I pondered about this it dawned on me that what he was describing was also a problem for most HR professionals. Indeed the profession as a whole may suffer from low self-esteem. We are viewed as roadblocks to many people or incompetent boobs to others. And in many cases they may be correct. Yet at the same time there are many competent and professional HR folks who get colored with that same brush and we take it.

Efficacy and high self-esteem

Alan’s advice for those of us in the room, which I am passing on to you, is “STOP IT.” Many of us do not think about that we are the experts in our companies. No one else knows HR better that do we, yet we second guess ourselves when someone says something to the contrary. STOP IT! If you are the expert and you are effective in delivering results realize and take pride in it. Let that self-esteem grow.

Alan made his point by telling us of a Bob Newhart skit that is about a therapist who has a very simple message to his clients. I will let you guess what that message is or you can watch this funny video that will make it clear to you.