Regardless of your religious or spiritual affiliation, you’ve probably heard the story of Noah’s Ark. Where God told Noah that he was going to destroy the world and Noah should build an ark and put two of every kind of animal on it.
I want you to think about something for a minute – It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but when you really think about it, there’s a deep lesson here. Noah didn’t wait for the storm to hit before he started preparing.
He didn’t wait until the skies darkened, the winds picked up, or the floodwaters started rising. He took proactive steps well before disaster struck, which ultimately allowed him to survive and thrive when the storm came.
As an HR leader, you’re likely no stranger to uncertainty. The landscape of work is always shifting.
If you’re only reacting to the storm though as it happens, you’ll find yourself constantly scrambling to stay afloat. But like Noah, the key to success is preparation before the storm hits.
HR Leadership: Preparing Your Ark Before the Rain
In the same way that Noah spent years building his ark, you must spend time preparing your HR systems, strategies, and mindset for the long term.
You can’t afford to wait until the storm is upon you to start thinking about your leadership practices, time management, or the well-being of your team. Instead, start laying the groundwork today so that you’re ready when unforeseen challenges arise.
There are three areas that you need to address.
The first is to:
- Develop Resilient Systems:
Noah didn’t just build a boat—he built a vessel that could withstand any storm. You need to develop HR systems and processes that are flexible and resilient.
Think about your current workflows: Are they adaptable in the face of change? Can your talent acquisition process be pivoted quickly if necessary? How about your employee development programs—are they designed to keep your people growing no matter what happens?
By laying the groundwork for resilient systems and processes, you’ll be far better equipped to weather any storm, whether it’s a global crisis or a shift in your company’s goals.
- Strategic Planning: You Can’t Wait for the Emergency
Noah didn’t just start building when the rain started to fall; he had a long-term plan.
As an HR leader, your strategic planning should reflect that same forward-thinking mindset. This means planning for both the expected and the unexpected.
Think about the future of your workforce:
- Where do you see the organization in 5 years?
- How can you build a leadership pipeline?
- What will your organization’s culture look like if there is another pandemic, or in a world with increasing automation?
Rather than focusing only on the day-to-day HR tasks, think about what your organization might need in the future and start building it today.
You should always be thinking ahead. What can you do now to set up your organization for success tomorrow?
- HR Leadership Development: Preparing Your Crew
Now Noah didn’t build the ark alone. He had a team that helped him through the construction and guided the animals onto the ark.
In the same way, as a leader, you can’t do it all by yourself. One of the most important steps in building your “ark” is developing the leadership capacity of your team.
Invest in leadership development now so that your HR department and broader organization has the talent to lead effectively when a crisis hits.
The work you do today to build strong leaders will create a foundation that will help you navigate any storm—whether that storm comes in the form of new leadership challenges, economic shifts, or even a crisis in employee engagement.
The HR Value of Proactive Time Management and Productivity
I want to take a minute to tie this back to what’s at the heart of what I teach: time management and productivity.
One of the biggest lessons we can draw from Noah’s Ark is the importance of being proactive rather than reactive.
If you’re constantly putting out fires, you’ll never have time to build the systems that will allow you to thrive. Effective time management isn’t just about managing tasks—it’s about creating the time and space for strategic thinking.
The HR professionals I work with often find themselves caught in the whirlwind of daily tasks: answering emails, handling employee grievances, dealing with compliance issues.
While those are important, they often prevent HR leaders from focusing on strategic activities that will serve the organization in the long term.
Ask yourself this: Are you spending enough time working on your department and your people, or are you just working in it?
Noah didn’t spend all his time reacting to the rising waters—he spent years building the ark. Similarly, you need to carve out time to build your “ark” in HR.
The Importance of HR Flexibility
The last thing to remember is that Noah’s Ark wasn’t just a boat—it was designed to float, withstand turbulent waters, and adapt to the situation.
Similarly, as an HR leader, you must build systems and structures that are flexible enough to withstand unexpected shifts. We’re all aware that the business world changes fast—whether it’s new technology, cultural shifts, or global crises.
How can your HR systems flex with the changing tides? Whether it’s having a strong employee feedback system, implementing continuous learning opportunities, or adapting your recruitment process, flexibility is essential.
The more adaptable you are in your HR practices, the more likely you are to thrive when change comes.
Build Your HR Ark
Your challenge for this week is to:
- Start Building Your Ark:
Take time to think about what you can begin building to ensure your HR department is resilient and future-ready.
This could mean starting to draft a long-term talent strategy, creating a leadership development plan, or revisiting your time management techniques to ensure you have space for proactive planning.
- Invest in Systems That Will Weather the Storm:
Look at your current HR processes. Are they adaptable? Can they scale as your organization grows or changes? Perhaps you need a more efficient onboarding process or automating parts of your performance review system.
- Make Time for Strategic Thinking:
Proactively schedule time each week to work on your long-term HR strategy, just like Noah spent years building his ark. Use this time to reflect on where your organization is headed and how you can lead your team through potential storms.
Remember, it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark, and it’s never too early to start building your own resilience.
