Managing Human Resources: Lessons from the Green Field

By: Atep Afia Hidayat

This article is a rewritten and expanded version of the original piece titled “Mengelola SDM: Belajar dari Lapangan Hijau,” by Atep Afia Hidayat. (https://www.kangatepafia.com/2013/12/mengelola-sdm-belajar-dari-lapangan.html)

Every human being, without exception, possesses human resources — a unique set of capacities, potentials,

and inner energy that form their personal excellence.

Yet, as many thinkers have said, within every human head lies a sleeping giant: the brain — an organ of extraordinary potential that often remains underutilized. Much of humanity’s innate capability is dormant, waiting to be awakened and directed toward meaningful goals.

1. Human Resources as an Integrated System

Human resources (HR) represent a complex system encompassing physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and social dimensions. Every cell in the human body is a biological resource that supports physical performance, while the mind and emotions are the “engine” that determines direction and quality of action.

Recent research by Gallup (2023) reveals that only 23% of employees worldwide are actively engaged in their work. This means that most people operate below their full capacity — an indication that modern HR management must not only focus on technical competence but also on psychological and emotional activation.

2. Learning from the Football Field

The football field offers a rich metaphor for understanding human resource dynamics. In a team of eleven players, each represents a unique unit of human capability — differing in skill, temperament, and function. Some are skilled in offense, others in defense, and some serve as connectors who manage the flow of play.

To score a goal, the team must coordinate seamlessly — combining tactics, strategy, communication, and execution. This reflects the team effectiveness model (Katzenbach & Smith, 2020), which highlights that optimal team performance depends on aligned goals, clear roles, and high-quality communication.

Similarly, the essence of Human Capital Optimization (Ulrich, 2022) lies not in the individual’s talent alone but in the collective orchestration of all human resources toward a shared vision. The football field, therefore, is a living classroom for strategic collaboration.

3. Activating HR through Roles and Synergy

Within organizations, each person plays a role similar to positions on a football team: the striker (innovator), the defender (risk manager), and the midfielder (coordinator). The overall team performance depends on how effectively these individuals carry out their roles and complement one another.

This aligns with the Complementary Fit Theory (Kristof-Brown et al., 2022), which emphasizes the importance of synergy between individual traits and team needs. When differences are managed constructively, diversity becomes an asset — not a barrier — to achieving collective excellence.

4. The Leader as the Team Coach

Just as every football team needs a coach, every organization requires leadership that can unify, motivate, and guide its members toward common goals. An effective leader does more than give technical orders; they inspire, mentor, and nurture trust within the team.

According to the Harvard Business Review (2024), transformational leadership increases team performance by up to 35% compared to transactional leadership. Such leaders act like coaches on the field — orchestrating both strategy and morale, blending human energy with organizational purpose.

5. From the Field to Real Life

What happens on the football field mirrors real life — in families, communities, and workplaces. Each of us belongs to a larger “team,” where collaboration, adaptability, and role awareness are essential.

When every family member, citizen, or employee recognizes their role and uses their potential fully, collective synergy emerges. The goal, in this broader sense, is not merely competitive victory but collective performance that enhances well-being and shared success.

6. Conclusion

The green field teaches us that success is not defined solely by individual brilliance but by how that brilliance is managed, integrated, and directed toward a common purpose. The greatest challenge in human resource management today is not the scarcity of human potential, but the lack of activation and integration of that potential.

By adopting a more humanistic and collaborative approach, HR management can evolve from merely managing labor to awakening human capability as a strategic resource. From the football field, we learn this timeless truth: true victory arises when every player understands their role, works wholeheartedly, and awakens the sleeping giant within.

 

References

• Gallup. (2023). State of the Global Workplace Report.
• Harvard Business Review. (2024). Leadership in the Age of Collaboration.
• Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (2020). The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization. Harvard Business School Press.
• Kristof-Brown, A. L., et al. (2022). Person–Environment Fit Theory: Applications in Organizational Behavior. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology.
• Ulrich, D. (2022). Human Capability: Activating Human Capital for Performance and Growth. McGraw-Hill Education.