By Kathrin Köster

Turning Human Resources into Human Sources

I am currently in Bucharest where I held a talk at a conference attended by roughly 100 experienced HR specialists from international and local businesses.

My point in a nutshell:
Let’s turn Human Resources to Human Sources, on an individual and functional level. Let’s stop to have robots or Full Time Equivalent (FTE) and see the entire human being with all its facets and power: Intellectual Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, and all together we have a lot of Social Intelligence.
If we take out the ‘Re’ from Human Resources and develop the understanding of Human Sources, we gain sustainability. With the power of positive emotions on an individual and group level, people will boost the business – and increase profits merely as a side effect.
It’s time for a paradigm shift.
I was curious to take the pulse in Bucharest – what are the companies up to? What’s going on at Human Resources?

At the beginning, my heart started to sink when a speaker stated: “Every organization is about profit.” Ok, I heard that talk before.
But only minutes later, other speakers made my day.
Here a couple of examples taken from the various speeches:

 “There is no process without emotions.”

“People got their passion from the 70year old mentor who fired them up. ….He was also the best dancer in the company.”

“It was a deep approach, but light, playful, with fun.”

“We are proud of taking care.”

“Always ask yourself: What would I do for a friend?”

“(Doing this project….) is a life experience, not an HR experience.” 

“Make HR more human-centric.”

“Try to understand my need.”

“This was the most important project in Romania, because I could see the satisfaction and joy.”

The last statement was also true for me. Not only could I see the satisfaction in the faces of the participants but I myself was fulfilled with joy as I realized: Finally, there is a clear trend towards acknowledging the human being with its full potential – a trend to turn Human Resources into Human Sources.

By Kathrin Köster

Post-vacation Post: Dive with me into energy!

Are you back from vacation? I have just spent some weeks in North-East Malaysia to write a new book on self-discovery and would like to share my ‘energy pool’ with you. Do you join me to take a swim with your thoughts? To refresh yourself when you are sitting in your office and need a power break to recharge your batteries?

I immersed myself into the exuberant nature, with its intensity and abundance. It is like diving into a pool of energy – the power of the tropics.

The sheer power of nature in the tropics works like a reset, a reset to feel the essence of life, which to me is: Motion.

The chirring of the rain forest, the ear-battering thunderclaps, the purifying downpours, the rich and humid air – I am enwrapped by nature. I feel the rhythm of the planet. Nothing stands still. Everything around me is in motion – ceaselessly, infinitely. It’s like taking a bath in life. The motion of nature comes into my body. It’s frequencies I can sense, vibrations of excitement – vitality.

The Dance of Life

I am beyond time.

The wind caresses my skin.

And I feel free.

I am enwrapped by tropical abundance.

I plunge into the intensity of the colors, the sounds, the scents.

Everything around me is in motion:

The sea, the sand, the colorful streamers at the beach,

the waving leaves of the palm trees,

my hands flying over the keyboard.

I am inhaling life: Outside is inside, inside is outside.

The essence of life gives me vital power.

I am ready to move on.

I am full of vitality.

What about your life? Are you dancing the dance of life? Where is your energy pool? And what in your life is anti-motion – where are you stuck and standing still? What are you going to do about it?