HEAD OF HR: COMPLIMENTING TEAM FORMATION

Organisation needs are unique and specificity is or importance. The role of human capital cannot be underestimated and self-awareness by the head of HR is equally critical. Are you an OD specialist? Are you a process-oriented HR – policy and process compliance? Are you a talent enabler? Are you an industrial relations/employee relations HR professional? Is your best about creating a warm culture through positive employee engagement? Are you an HR Administrator? While may Heads of HR functions may tend to be a blend of many, there is one or two that tend to come out strongly that one’s brand may be associated with.

Do you know that inclination? Are you intentional about managing this inclination or strength? How do you cover for the capacity related to where you are not strong at?

Have you been intentional about how you recruit to bridge the gap you have? Do you have the courage to recruit, in your team, people that are exceptional in specialities that you don’t have strength or is the desire to be the “know it all” inhibiting you? Are you selfless enough to invite a member of your staff that has depth in an area of HR to clarify issues in the board room? Does something make you feel less when you do that?

How does each member of your team compliment you?

What happens when your colleagues start identifying with a member of your team for certain types of results? Do you encourage them, commend them or seek ways to make them bring out that unique attribute?

You have to develop a level of self-awareness that enables you to be intentional on how you recruit your staff. Recruiting staff that don’t challenge you limits your organisation from experiencing HR at the next level. You need to have creatives (idea generators); moderators, mobilisers, influencers, energisers and all positive attributes in HR – unless HR takes the position of a support department that is dominantly administrative and that is occasionally called upon to do what the business specifies to be done.

Must all Heads of HR be generalists? Must all Heads of HR be administrators? Development sector organisations are very consistent in implementing the priorities of the organisation in the structure. An organisation that sets up fundraising as a key priority is likely to recruit a CEO with fundraising inclination while having a strong Head of Programs as a deputy to the CEO.

How are the drivers of the strategy critical in determining who heads HR in your organisation?