6
HR
West
W
ith this emergent view of effective
leadership, the skill arrows in the quiver
of human resources professionals are
optimal for hitting the bull’s eye. The new dynamic
reflects not hard or soft skills. Rather, the epitomized
leader of the modern day embraces the power of
“and” – solid business professionals who are decisive,
analytical, strategic, inclined to action, etc. AND
inclusive, empathetic, valuing, etc.
A recent
Inc.
article cites the “Holy Grail in
business today is [as] engagement: employees’
energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to their
companies. Engagement has a powerful effect not
only on productivity but also on profitability and
customer metrics, numerous studies show. But it’s
not something you can buy.” From a leadership
perspective, the same article details, we have
progressed from command and control (until
the 80s) to empower and track (to mid-2000s) to
connect and nurture (today).
In my own HR leadership career, one of the greatest
compliments received was that HR was the “glue”
and the “connector” – between people, units, the
organization and the outside. In that organization we
were, and were seen as, leaders.
As we all know, HR is more than a labor of love. It
is a profession of passion. Of purpose. And most
importantly, of possibility. The great news is that the
core attractors to a profession in HR, and motivation
for those of us who choose this challenging and
meaningful work, are now what pundits describe as
the new necessity for success.
Great HR understands the people and the
organization at both the granular and the holistic
levels. Micro and Meta. That same CEO who
described the function as the connector and glue
also opined that HR was the only function outside
that of the CEO who saw the whole organization
at once. Whose work could not, by its nature, exist
in a silo. No wonder we love it. The power of AND
in action…
In a
Huffington Post
blog, Jeffrey Cohn detailed
the must-have qualities of a leader as judgment,
empathy, self-awareness, adaptability, integrity,
and passion, courage and resilience. These have
long been the professional attributes of brilliant HR
leaders in particular.
Rarely is the practice of HR a black and white or zero
sumproposition. Instead, it is one of carefully weighing
options, anticipating unintended consequences,
combining data analysis and understanding the
individuals involved, considering the immediate
situation and the long-term possibilities. In short,
judgment. The best HR folks are often not those with
the most expansive knowledge of the law (though
that never hurts), but rather those who possess and
exercise good judgment.
Core to the practice of effective HR is the second
desired attribute: empathy. An ability to connect
with individuals and understand diverse and often
divergent perspectives. Cohn writes, “In a networked
environment, relationship management can hold
the key to unlocking value in an infinite variety of
ways – with customers, colleagues, subordinates,
strategic partners, unions, activist investors and
corporate board members.” Keenly understanding,
maneuvering within and creating effective networks
is the stuff of great HR. Organizations are complex
networks, ecosystems of interdependence.
No leader becomes great without a substantial
amount of self-awareness. Particularly in HR, the
complexity and ambiguity of the work require a firm
grounding and understanding of self. Adaptability,
especially in today’s rapid fire change environment,
represents an increasingly important criterion. And
integrity has long been a core attribute of the HR
leader. One simply cannot be a leader in HR without
a character defined by integrity.
As has oft been opined in this letter, HR (and
leadership in general) isn’t for wimps. Demanding
work. Meaningful work. It is simply too challenging for
those without a passion for it and a deep commitment
to…progress. The last two attributes, courage and
resilience, are often cited as missing in the majority of
practitioners, and have long been among the greatest
strengths of those who have risen above the “norm”
and become great HR leaders.
This new vision for and of leadership castes a rosy
glow of potential for greatness for HR.
As researcher and author John Gerzman said,
“There’s so much cynicism that
people are out for short-term gain.
Leadership today is about taking
people into a better future.
That’s a long trip.”
For HR leaders, the long view represents the norm,
not some new perspective.
Let your arrows fly.
Wishing you success on your leadership journey.
HR
Danika Davis
Chief Executive Officer,
NCHRA
415.395.1911
Executive Letter
“Control is a mirage. The most effective leaders right now…
are those who embrace…Empathy. Vulnerability. Humility.
Inclusiveness. Generosity. Balance. Patience.” — Buchanan
