Relationship Lessons for and from HR and Natural Disasters (Los Angeles Fires)

The fires in Los Angeles (and other natural disasters such as the fire in Hawaii, earthquake in Japan, floods in China and Carolinas [U.S.A.], and typhoons or hurricanes around the world) remind me that relationships matter most not only in personal lives but organization settings. Relationships can be the lingering source of peace in a tumultuous world, joy in the face of tragedy, and stability in the midst of change.

In the recent Los Angeles (LA) fire tragedy, over 10,000 have lost their homes; after the inevitable shock and lament comes gratitude for relationships. Some gratitude comes from the fond memories the lost homes represent for both family and community. Homeowners cherish and miss irreplaceable mementos (pictures, notes, gifts that symbolize relationships) more than furnishings. Some gratitude comes from personal health and still being with loved ones. And some gratitude comes from receiving the enormous outpouring of donations, service, and support from others—which also comes from relationships.

How do relationship lessons forged in tragedy apply to organizations and how do organization lessons about relationships impact responses to tragedy? What can HR and business leaders learn about and do to foster relationships?

1. Redefine “humans” in “human resources.”

By definition, “human resources” are about people and how they think, act, and feel. For the horrific fires, the humans involved are home or business owners, firemen and first responders, donors and charitable organizations, insurance firms, government agencies, contractors, and others who represent a broad network of people trying to rebuild what has been lost. In organization settings, now is the time to expand “human” in “human resources” to include not only employees but the ecosystem of people (stakeholders) who engage with the organization, such as customers, investors, and communities. A village built on relationships is needed to raise a child, overcome tragedy, and create prosperous organizations.?

2. Listen, seek to understand, then listen some more.

I am touched by homeowners with no homes who simply hold each other, neighbors, and friends to share and grieve their loss. In the coming days, weeks, months, and years of recovery, support services will offer aid by discovering what homeowners need and then helping to make it happen. Those post-fire services (insurance, financial institutions, contractors, government agencies, and others) will enhance or diminish their reputation by the personal service they offer, starting with listening. This listening is not just about determining “what’s next” but offering hope through sharing feelings that build relationships.

Likewise, I hope HR professionals and leaders listen to understand, design HR services that help those they lead discover how to reach their goals, and remain open to feelings that underlie listening some more.

Mourning with those that mourn in this tragedy does not mean telling others how they should cope in their lives but engaging emotionally with them. Likewise, impactful leaders do not merely share what they have done but help others accomplish what they need to do to reach their goals. I have been in many workshops, presentations, talks, and classes where presenters share their expertise, tell their story, and communicate what they have done. Participants might leave inspired by these stories, but they have not crafted or changed theirs. In a similar way, HR services too often highlight why a process will help the organization meet their goals more than how the employees will meet their goals.

Listening begins with caring for others, understanding their circumstances, showing empathy for their external realities and internal feelings, then working to solve problems. HR programs designed to deliver value to human stakeholders start by discovering what matters most to the stakeholders, then showing a pathway to get there.?

3. Start small.

The scale of the LA fire tragedy feels overwhelming: over 40,000 acres burned, 12,000 structures (homes, businesses, offices) destroyed, 150,000 people evacuated, 425,000 households without power, and an estimated economic loss of $130 to $150 billion. The amount of work to restore houses, communities, and personal confidence is hard to envision. But we might be encouraged remembering that the original homes and communities were not built in a day, week, or month, but over years. This required persistent patience and will again. Chunking the work of restoring the physical setting and building relationships may also be helpful. Rebuilding relationships may come from those affected asking their associates and friends, “Whom do you know who can help?”

Relationship trust in organization settings does not occur all at once. HR can help employees, customers, investors, and communities build relationships with their organization by starting with small promises that are realized with predictability. In tipping point logic, HR can encourage leaders to deliver on promises that cumulate into restored and sustainable confidence. Leaders and others who reach out with small acts of affirmation—a note, call, card, or call to show appreciation—build relationships one experience at a time.

Relationship networks also start small. Build loose ties with lots of associates, form strong ties with friends, then connect friends with each other to establish relationship networks. This influence process ensures vetting and impact of HR ideas. The most influential HR leaders I know master relationship networks.

4. Focus on positive progress more than negative derailers.

In the aftermath of the fire tragedy, assigning blame that fixates on what has gone wrong and who is responsible is tempting. However the blame game often detracts attention from winning the rebuilding game. While learning lessons that can be applied going forward is important, obsessing about the past does not speed positive progress. Out of the fire tragedy may emerge not only new houses but relationships and communities where people may care even more for each other, donate time and talents to supporting each other, and realize what matters most.

In organizations, HR can take lessons from psychologists who have found that a 3:1 positivity ratio impacts well-being, While the exact ratio has been questioned, the logic remains valid, and HR professionals and leaders who focus on what’s right, working, and uplifting will likely make more progress than highlighting what’s wrong.

Conclusion

Too often we build boundaries between personal and work lives. When the lessons of one setting inform the other, more progress is made in both.?

A primary, fundamental, and enduring lesson from the LA fire tragedy and from daily organization settings is that relationships matter even more than houses, possessions, or roles.

How do you and your organization encourage relationship building?

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Dave Ulrich?is the Rensis Likert Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan (retired), and a partner at The RBL Group, a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value.