Human Potential

I’ve spent almost 50 years working in manufacturing as a Personnel / HR Director and since 1993 have operated a private consulting practice, mostly for manufacturing companies.  

My motivation to pursue this career came to me when I was 10 years old. I was sitting on the front porch of my grandfather’s house, reading the Sunday newspaper with 3 of my Uncles.  A car bombing murder was reported on the front page of the newspaper.  The victim was the leader of the local Steamfitter’s Union.  I asked my uncles who would have assassinated this guy.  They all said “Mafia”.  I had read other accounts of strikes and union violence and said, “We’re not doing this right.” What I meant was, we shouldn’t allow corruption in these businesses. 

Over the next few years, I learned that Personnel Directors lead the hiring, firing, training, compensation, employee relations, regulatory compliance, safety and policy activities.  They had to know the people and also had to understand product development, manufacturing equipment and the business.  

Some of the best Personnel Consultants at the time included Art Miller (SIMA) and J. Edwards Deming.  Personality Theorists included Abraham Maslow for his Hierarchy of Needs, Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers for the Myers Briggs Test and others.  The Kuder and the Strong-Campbell Interest tests were available. 

It was easy to see how we could unleash human potential by helping employees discover what they loved to do.  Successful people love what they do.  Art Miller’s System for Identifying Motivated Abilities was the primary tool.  Knowing that different styles can be used for any job gave us the chance to let employees feel free to be themselves. Deming told us not to take the joy out of the workplace, so I didn’t.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader