I used to run training sessions for our managers who were new to their HR job. This was a two day training session we did at Quaker Oats and it included our top up and coming HR leaders. There were 56 things we told them they had to do to be successful. He included how he interviews job candidates, mentors and advises, holds career discussions, and conducts performance reviews.
When I got up to finish the training, I knew from past experience that it was not possible for these people to remember everything. So I would end by saying that there are three things that matter in any HR job.
The first is competition. Focus on being the best at your HR job, whether it’s generalist or in compensation or labor relations. Reach the highest standard. This means focusing on the job you have, not the job you want, and committing to developing your skills to be great at what you do.
The second is trust. While it’s good to ask data-gathering questions in an employee investigation, your clients want to know what you think. Leadership is about having a point of view and sharing it. Therefore, you must have enough self-confidence to regularly and shamelessly bring your own perspectives and ideas to the table in difficult situations.
The third is caring. No individual can achieve great things in large and complex organizations. Success requires collaboration. And at the end of the day, it’s giving a damn and partnering with your clients and your colleagues and recognizing that it’s the people around you that make you look good in your HR job.
I’ve tried to adhere to these three simple rules in every HR job I’ve ever had. And, over the years, I’ve found that they’re just as true for those new to their HR job as they are for the senior vice president of human resources.
