Six rules of success for nurturing the leaders of tomorrow
It starts with you,
Why You Should Care
Don't be a dinosaur — modern HR leaders need to be in tune with the latest trends.
Data first - use analytics to move beyond reporting the past to predict the future.
Understand the decision-makers - know the power ebbs and flows.
In Part One I looked at what makes a good HR function and in the second I look at what makes a good HR leader:
1. This requires a high level of intellectual capability that is systemic rather than linear.
It’s not simply raw horse-power but the ability to connect a complex set of inputs instantaneously, diagnosing the issues and then identifying and delivering pragmatic relevant solutions that combine all elements of the HR mix.
2. Self Confidence. HR people need to have enough ego to take ego out of the equation.
They need to have the courage to challenge as an equal not as a partner. It’s never about them. Indeed if anyone has gone into HR for personal recognition they are in the wrong profession.
It might be unfashionable but they do need to care about people, though not so much they can’t make the hard calls.
3. They need to be trustworthy as they are dealing with complex, difficult and often personal issues.
I believe an HRD should never aspire to be CEO as they then become part of the game rather than standing above the game. In many cases HR people will take on the highly sensitive role of personal confidante and the leader must have total confidence that these conversations will be confidential. It might be unfashionable but they do need to care about people, though not so much they can’t make the hard calls.
4. Politically savvy.
They need to combine this integrity with an understanding of how their organisations works, of how decisions are really made, of how power ebbs and flows. They need to be influential at all levels but especially at the highest tables.
5. They need to be passionate about not just business in general but about how value is created in their organisation.
They need to be able to move beyond the numbers to understand what drives the numbers and how to influence them. They need to use this understanding to define the HR agenda and where they spend their time not where they’re comfortable or what they enjoy. They need to be able to balance the short-term need for profit and the long-term need to build a business. Commercial means being comfortable with numbers and data, not a data scientist but using data to move beyond reporting the past to predicting the future. In this day and age any HR professional who isn’t is a dinosaur.
6. They need to be able to focus on what’s needed and deliver it.
They need to take the strategic and translate this into the operational, build a team that can deliver it and hold them accountable.
So what does this mean for development?
Many of these issues are inherent but by focusing people’s attention on them you can help people develop their latent abilities. What you can develop in their commercial acumen, strategic thinking, political savvy and delivery skills. This rather than pure HR is where we need to focus in developing our future HR leaders.
