How to spot an HR Fad (or any fad to be honest!)

It's amazing what you find tucked away in the depths of a dry academic text book!

Lurking away in Chapter 3 of Dave Ulrich's Human Resource Champions is the following handy checklist to allow you to decide if the current trend is likely add any long-term value:

1. It's simple and easy to use and claims to solve complex problems
2. It claims to apply to and help everyone
3. It's not anchored or related to any known and generally accepted theory
4. Proponents hesitate to present it in academic settings or write about it in refereed journals
5. Proponents can't tell you exactly how it works
6. It's a seminar session at 75% of the conferences you attend
7. Its proponents claim it's changed their lives and that it can change yours, too
8. Its greatest proponents are those with the least experience in the field
9. Proponents claim that the only way to really understand it is to try it personally; it can't be explained or demonstrated
10. It's just too good to be true

Odd thing is, how would the HR Business Partnership model score on this one?