4 Limiting Beliefs That Are Holding You Back from Scaling Your HR Department

You know what?

There’s a whole lot of misinformation on HR leadership, which is why it’s easy to feel defeated when you’re doing everything “right” and still not getting results.

Before I learned how to optimize my HR department, I tried every guide and article I could find.

Expert #1 would say to implement new initiatives, and expert #2 would say to focus on talent acquisition.

Many people think going it alone is the best way to optimize their HR department because they have more control.

Others aren't ready to admit that there’s a problem, making it harder for them to add value to their organization.

I learned that if HR restrictions affect your everyday activities, you need help.

You absolutely should NOT go it alone!

Facing the struggles and obstacles related to this myth, I understand the challenges you're likely facing right now.

No matter what you do, if you're still struggling to boost your HR department's performance, there's a solution.

Read on for some sneaky limiting beliefs that may be holding you back from scaling your HR department and how to turn them into your superpowers.

If you’re used to being self-sufficient and doing things on your own, you can probably relate to this. You’ve worked hard and “figured it out” so many times, why would this be any different?

Maybe it wouldn’t be different. But think about it – how long did it take you to work through it and figure out other skills on your own? Was it overnight, or was it hard-earned?

First, challenge your belief. After all, it’s just a belief, and you have no proof that it’s reality (spoiler alert: it’s not!).

Ask yourself why you think you need to go it alone. Is it that you lack resources to hire someone? Do you believe you're the most qualified? Are you hesitant to let someone else in for fear of it challenging you actually to change?

Once you have the answers, think about what it would be like to have help. Would it make it easier to do your job, and could you work faster working from a proven framework?

You don’t have to take action now. Just let it sit with you and try to broaden your perspective. Keep challenging yourself.

When you’re ready, try reaching out for help. Here are a few resources available:

“I’ll get to HR optimization as soon as I finish this project.”

Sound familiar?

We all have a list of things we need to do and the order in which we want to do them.

But if you’ve been procrastinating on optimizing your HR department for weeks or months, it’s probably time to re-prioritize.

Do you really need to focus on other tasks before you tackle HR optimization? Or is it that the thought of optimizing your department scares you?

It’s common to put off things we’re not “ready” for.

But you know what? The things that scare you are the things that will change you the most.

Act as if the “other thing” doesn’t exist. So often, we talk ourselves out of doing great things because of good things. When you find yourself doing this, recognize it and ask yourself, “what if there was no X?” Sometimes, the act of slowing down will help you make a better decision.

Focus on one aspect of HR optimization at a time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when there is an endless number of things to do and fix. This is what keeps us stuck. To overcome this hurdle, prioritize a single area of your HR department that you want to improve, and don’t veer away from that unless absolutely necessary.

Visualize the benefits of having an optimized HR department. I often go back to Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits, and “Beginning with the end in mind” is always crucial. It’s possible that you’re more ok than you’d like to believe – i.e., comfortable in the chaos. But if you think about how better you will feel when your department is truly running efficiently, this could get you past this blockage.

How many times have you thought, “I won’t be able to optimize my HR department. It's too complex”?

You’re not alone. This is another belief that comes from a place of fear, and we all have them.

When you’re about to try something new, you picture all the things that can go wrong and all the reasons why you’re not the right person to get this done.

The problem with this belief is that it can prevent more empowering beliefs from forming if you’re not aware of them.

What if you are more powerful, capable, and competent than you admit out loud?

Imagine another time you tried something new. How did it go? Reflecting on past accomplishments can remind you of your resilience and capability to overcome challenges. By acknowledging your past achievements, you boost your confidence and reinforce the belief that you possess the skills and determination to succeed in new endeavors.

Break down the process into smaller, more manageable steps. By dividing the process into bite-sized tasks, you make progress more achievable and less overwhelming. Focusing on one step at a time allows you to maintain momentum and celebrate small victories along the way, keeping you motivated and empowered.

Believe in your ability to learn and grow. Cultivate a growth mindset by embracing challenges as opportunities for learning and development. Rather than viewing setbacks as failures, see them as valuable lessons that contribute to your growth. Believing in your ability to learn and adapt empowers you to face challenges with resilience and optimism, unlocking your full potential for personal and professional growth.

If you believe you have too much work to do already, you’ll find ways to keep yourself occupied with those other activities rather than optimizing your HR department.

Saying you don’t have time is really saying it’s not a priority right now.

The truth is, if you really want to optimize your HR department, you have to make it a priority.

Optimizing your HR department doesn’t require huge blocks of time. You just have to do it consistently. Think of it like watering a plant regularly rather than dousing it with water all at once. By consistently dedicating time to HR optimization, even in smaller increments, you create a steady rhythm of progress. This approach prevents burnout and ensures you stay engaged with the process over the long term.

Draw a line in the sand and prioritize it, no matter what else you have going on. It's easy for HR optimization to get pushed to the back burner. However, drawing a line in the sand means making a conscious decision to prioritize this aspect of your work. Consider it as vital to your role as any other task on your to-do list. When you establish HR optimization as a non-negotiable priority, you create a mindset shift that fuels action and progress.

If you can carve out 30 minutes a day, you can make progress. Rome wasn't built in a day, nor is it a fully optimized HR department. Thirty minutes a day may seem insignificant, but over time, those small increments add up to substantial progress. It's the cumulative effect of consistent effort that yields results. You build momentum and maintain a sense of accomplishment by breaking down your optimization efforts into manageable daily chunks. Plus, this approach minimizes overwhelm and makes the process feel more achievable.

It’s time to turn your limiting beliefs into empowering beliefs! If you find yourself procrastinating on optimizing your HR department, think about what may be holding you back. Write down ten limiting beliefs, and don’t be afraid to see them on paper.

We all have them, remember? It’s what you do with them that counts.

Will you push through and keep going? You bet you will!

I created a free HR department optimization workbook to help you get started.

Click here to download my free HR Department Optimization Workbook now.