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professionals involves changes which impact on the distribution of
power and,
consequently, activates the political subsystem.
SOME GUIDEUNES AND ADVICE I believe that we need to be
more aware of and sensitive to the political
implications of the human resource function. Consequently, we need
to increase
our understanding of power, of political behavior, and of political
systems in the
context of our own organization. This will enable us to understand
and analyze
what's really going on; it can also help us with the planning and
implementation
of changes; and at a personal level, it can help us to become more
effective in
our roles as human resource professionals. How can we increase our
political
understanding and skills?
First, we need to be aware of and to assess the potential sources of
power
available to us. Begin by looking at yourself and at the human
resource function
in terms of the nature and amount of power you have. Then do an
honest
appraisal to determine how "powerful" you really are in
the organization. More
specifically, for example,
• How much competence and expertise do you have? Are you
perceived as a
"staff weenie" or as a "professional" by the
rest of the organization? Are you
technically competent and up-to-date in human resource
management? I know
that most of us believe that we are professionals in every sense of the
word,
but do others?
2 0 4 HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING 1985 VOLUME 8,