| | NOVEMBER 2024MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM9Find your Alpacas In The Barefoot Investor, Scott Pape tells how he had taken in alpacas from a friend. They were not suited to their home and ended up with Pape on his farm. During a devastating fire, two alpacas protected a flock of sheep with fierce dedication despite their imminent danger. I say this not as a lesson in managing your finances but who you select as part of your team. We had incredible employees from across the business including operational, administrative and management who worked tirelessly to support all aspects of the business during the negotiations.Surround Yourselves with Support Having support is vital during negotiations. You'll not only need your alpacas but personal support as well. My family were amazing which gave me more flexibility to get things done. It would be the first time the Gold Coast light rail experienced industrial action ­ stakes were high.Exercise and eating well are as important as unplugging and giving your mind a break. You must look after yourself to look after everyone else. A colleague recently reminded me of this when he said that there is a reason you are instructed to put your mask on first before helping other passengers on the flight.Having a steady flow of communications is essential. You need messaging with clear facts for the impacted workgroups and messaging for your stakeholders ensuring they are kept updated. The business also needs to know what is happening and be reassured during uncertain times. Your messaging and tone are key. What you don't say is just as important as what you do. Avoid ambiguity as words are easily twisted. If you have comms specialists let them help.The show must go onThat long-awaited day arrives. The Agreement has been ratified by the Fair Work Commission. You've passed the BOOT test and have 7 days to implement the new offer. Now what?The way forward is almost the hardest part of the entire negotiation process. Three themes were key for me to take stock and move forward. One ­ It's your job. As HR professionals we have wide portfolios and many parts are enriching and uplifting like engagement for the passionate, learning and development for the mentors, and stats and analytics for the data enthusiasts. Some parts are just hard. The famous quote by Mark Twain states that if it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. You just need to get it done. Two ­ it's not personal. This was a difficult one for me because it felt personal. Each time I sat signing employees in and out for participation in industrial action it felt personal because of what it took from my life and family ­ Sunday night movies, Saturday barbeques, bedtimes, mornings and holidays. This stuff is all personal, so it felt personal. It's not. It's a collective group of employees applying an instrument to influence a financial outcome. It is vital to get your whole leadership team to understand that regardless of how it feels, it's not personal. Three ­ Break it down. Not in the dancing sense but as a way of reducing the group to the individuals. It's easier to repair the relationship with Lucy the grandmother of three or John who loves to cycle. Churchill said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal," and "it is the courage to continue that counts." We do, and you too will have the courage to continue and perhaps even do it all again in a couple of years. Your messaging and tone are key. What you don't say is just as important as what you do. Avoid ambiguity as words are easily twisted
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