Able Leaders
Transformational HR leaders envision a thriving new business beyond an old administrative job to organizational agents of growth and change. Through the speeded-up pace of change, tech disruption, and mobile talent, these leaders have a very clear set of talents, characteristics, and mind-sets that allow them to redesign business success. They are not just reacting to trends but actually shaping the future of work in their organizations, setting a culture of innovation, engagement, and high performance. Their profile extends beyond usual HR competencies, ranging from strategic awareness to being a great communicator, possessing immense business acumen, exhibiting ethical behaviour, and being forward looking in orientation.
The most important attribute of successful HR leaders is possessing a strategic mindset. They possess the ability to make decisions above operation day-to-day activities and align HR planning with higher business goals and objectives. They possess the knowledge regarding competitive environment, industry forces, and determinants of organizational success. These leaders are present during strategic planning meetings and offer insights regarding people implications of business decisions. They can turn business strategy into actionable human resources action plans on talent acquisition, development, and retention to put the company into position with the right skill sets to implement its strategic objectives. Their own vision allows them to look forward at workforce requirements and plan ahead in anticipation of getting ready for them, positioning the company for further growth and competitiveness.
With a strategic mind comes excellent communications and interpersonal skills. Great HR leaders are great communicators able to simplify and communicate complex HR concepts convincingly to different constituencies, i.e., executive management, workers, and outside constituencies. They are listener leaders, understanding the concerns and needs of the workers and skilled at establishing excellent working relationships within the organization. They create open, honest communications forums that listen and value the workforce. Influence and interaction with other leaders and departments are their secrets to being able to drive organizational change and effectively implement HR programs. They can have tough conversations with tact and diplomacy, building trust and a work culture of positivity and inclusion.
A business acumen is another key characteristic of successful HR leaders. They reach beyond the traditional HR activities to understand the business core operations of the firm, its financial performance, its products or services, and its customers. They use this business expertise to align HR programs and strategies to have a direct impact on the achievement of business results. They communicate business, they care for the challenges and opportunities of the organization, and demonstrate the hard-edge worth of HR to efforts as varied as customer satisfaction, profitability, and productivity. Keeping that in perspective, they can be appreciated and revered mentors to other business executives, as strategic partners to the general welfare of the organization.
Successful HR leaders also are unswervingly committed to practice honesty and ethics. They recognize the sensitive nature of HR activity and uphold the highest ethical principles of neutrality, transparency, and confidentiality. They practice ethically guided decision-making and ensure that all HR practice and policy are legal and regulatory compliant. They serve as the representation of the workforce and are characterized by fair treatment and respectful and harmonious working environments. Their ethical conduct creates trust and believability in the company, and this leads to building a positive reputation and obtaining and maintaining high-performing talent who share a belief in integrity.
Second, strong HR leaders possess a sharp data and analytics orientation. They enjoy the ability of data to drive fact-based decision making and monitor the effectiveness of HR initiatives. They leverage HR technology and analytics ability to gather, analyze, and interpret HR data, to identify trends, patterns, and insights that inform talent strategies and improve organizational performance. They are able to measure HR metrics in terms of tangible business outcomes that substantiate the return on investment for HR initiatives and programs. It allows them to systematically improve HR practice and provide evidence-based inputs to inform decision-making across the organization.
Being forward-thinking and pro-active is the hallmark of successful HR leaders, too. They are never content with what exists but are always looking for new ways to improve and evolve HR practice to match evolving business and workforce needs. They are up to speed on the latest HR technology trends, talent management strategies, and future of work trends. They are open to new ideas and open to change, guiding the company through its transformation into the ever-changing business world. Their foresight ensures that the organization is well-placed to meet future challenges and opportunities, and its competitiveness in the talent marketplace is not compromised.
Lastly, strong HR leaders exhibit empathy and real concern for the well-being of employees. They understand that employees are the most valuable asset of a company and do their best to create their workplace as a productive and inspiring place where individuals can thrive. They encourage employee well-being, work-life balance, and career development initiatives. They foster an inclusive culture where several voices are heard and valued, and the employees feel empowered and valued. Their focus on employee well-being not only increases the morale and job satisfaction of employees but also results in improved productivity, reduced employee turnover, and healthy organizational culture that allows employers to achieve a competitive advantage in hiring and retaining high performers, resulting in business success.
In short, successful HR leaders combine a compelling mix of strategic thinking, excellent communication, solid business acumen, rock-like integrity, fact-based decision-making, forward-looking proactiveness, and authentic interest in the well-being of employees. These capabilities allow them to move outside the classic mandates of the HR career and become credible partners in reimagining business success for the modern era. Through the strategic management of talent, building a positive culture, embracing technology, and investing in the employee experience, they drive organizational growth, innovation, and competitiveness and thereby become business-critical leaders.
