April fool’s day is a day when people play harmless pranks and practical jokes on others. Today, many pranks will be unleashed, some will catch you unawares and some you will figure out. Most of these pranks mean no harm.
As you enjoy the pranks and plan some pranks, let’s take a moment here. Who have you been fooling over time? Yourself or our organization?
As humans we have high tendencies towards denial, especially in areas we are least comfortable with and those in which we have made remarkable achievements. We sometimes deceive ourselves into believing that our skills do not need refreshing. We forget to keep our skills fresh and up-to-date within the industry. Let’s take, The Employment Act amendment 2019 that came into effect recently. By not updating one’s knowledge on these amendments, a HR practitioner disadvantages themselves and organization. Consequently, this may create compliance issues for the organization.
We deceive ourselves by over valuing our competencies and tend to be aloof when it comes to developing these competencies. The Covid 19 times have shown us how fragile the job market can be. It has also shown us how someone can learn, relearn and unlearn skills. This does not need to be an expensive affair where one attends expensive courses, trainings and seminars. Other learning modes can be explored with online learning being a good place to start. First do an honest analysis of your competencies. If unable to do so on your own, look at previous your performance reviews remarks and at competencies required for the job level you desire. Embark on a learning journey that elevates your competencies to a higher level.
And finally, we deceive ourselves into sticking to belief systems that are outdated or that no longer serve us well in certain environments. Our belief systems are deeply rooted in our unconscious mind and do influence our day today decisions without our awareness. Our belief systems should be challenged, adjusted and changed regularly. The easiest way of doing this is by engaging with the environment and people that you may have certain belief systems about. As is popularly said, walk a mile in their shoes.
For instance, if one’s belief system is that a certain department in the organization is difficult to work with, approaching them openly can be a great start in challenging that belief. Being open about your intentions of better working relationships will easily break the ice. This way people in that department will not regard your motives with suspicion. Observing how they work by spending time with them while working, attending some of their meetings and sharing breaks with them can assist challenging beliefs systems held about them.
As it is done after every prank or practical joke, call out your prank and become a better person.