3. Current State
What is the “role” of Human Resources?
Administrative
Tactical vs. Strategic
Essential vs. Necessary
...of the HR Business Partner?
Company Cop
Policy Reader
Team-member
Creative Property of John Whitaker, PeopleResults™
4. Listen
The Socratic method is founded on the
principal of attentive listening...
Over-emphasis on our “own” information
Increase our awareness as a “guest” in the conversation
“Wind puffs up empty sails.”
- Socrates
Creative Property of John Whitaker, PeopleResults™
5. Question
...and the ability to ask simple, meaningful
questions
“tell me more about what interests you...”
Target the heart, not the hands
“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds
discuss people.”
- Socrates
Creative Property of John Whitaker, PeopleResults™
6. Visualize
Bring the conversation out of the present...
Vision looks at tomorrow, sight looks at today
Problems exist in the here & now
Solutions look to the future
Our vision allows us to work outside our state in life
“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark;
the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the
light.”
- Plato
Creative Property of John Whitaker, PeopleResults™
7. Hyperlink
“Benjamin Franklin was a proponent of establishing Junto’s for the purpose of collaboration.”
Breakout groups
Role-play, HRBP & Business Leader
What “exit” did you take?
Creative Property of John Whitaker, PeopleResults™
8. Teach
Aristotle believed leadership to be
congruent with action...
Model the actions you want repeated
Practice the qualities you want modeled
“Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular
way... you become just by performing just actions, temperate by
performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions.”
- Aristotle
Creative Property of John Whitaker, PeopleResults™
9. Challenge
Substantial change comes in two forms
Generation of a skill
Elimination of a fault
“Change in all things is sweet.”
- Aristotle
Creative Property of John Whitaker, PeopleResults™
Editor's Notes
The HRBP role can cover a range of responsibilities ~ to offer value, however, you need to stress the “ business ” piece of the equation. As an HR Business Partner, you need to embed yourself in the business operations for the sectors of the company for which you are responsible. First rule, be PRESENT. You must dedicate yourself to being a live participant in staff meetings, strategy meetings, and the like - if you ’ re not there, if you ’ re an occasional visitor, you undermine your own credibility. Once you ’ ve announced your presence, you can focus on the skill-set that will make you a valued business partner to Senior leadership. Ecc 1:9, 9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun
We talk too much. As leaders, as subordinates, as salespeople, as consultants, as people ~ we generally talk too much. - As an HRBP, you are a “ guest ” to the conversation. Your job is to gather intel, to learn, to study the dynamic of the group, and to be alert. You can accomplish very little of that if you are talking. - When actively participating in conversations, especially in smaller groups, use the Socratic approach to gather more information; i.e., “ expand on that ” , “ help me understand that better ” ; remember, people love to talk, so give them the opportunity! *DO* - “ Hyperlinking ” exercise, next slide
Questioning is a powerful tactic when used properly; To build relationships, trust, credibility ~ - Questions built from responses; simple questions to cede the floor, i.e., “ tell me more about that... ” - Don ’ t ask about “ problems, ” “ challenges, ” “ objectives ” ; target the “ heart ” , i.e. “ vision, ” “ perspective, ” “ paint the picture for me... ” - Each interaction is an opportunity to delve into “ real ” issues, dreams, plans, opinions; don ’ t take the first “ exit, ” continue down the road of discovery before jumping at a chance to advise.
There are times when we must focus on a crisis or problem; however, an effective HRBP uses meeting time with business leaders to drag the conversation out of “ today. ” Example: “ What doe
Anyone who ’ s spent time on Wikipedia can probably relate to the wonderful information you can find by “ hyperlinking ” when you are researching a particular subject. Reading about Benjamin Franklin, for example, offers any number of different topics that divert us from the original topic. Example: “ As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries a nd theories regarding electricity. ” Could lead to: “ The American Enlightenment is the intellectual thriving period in America in the mid-to-late 18th century (1715-1789), especially as it relates to American Revolution on the one hand and the European Enligh tenment on the other. ” Which could lead to: “ The American Revoluti on was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire , ” On and on we go, discoverin g inter-relat ed topics. The same concept applies to effective Soc ratic question ing ~ as solution-providers, we ’ re prone to jump at the first chance we see to provide counsel. “ We ’ re having some issues with employee engagement. ” Natural reaction may be to offer advice on employee engagement surveys, employee action teams, etc. BUT...what if you continued to “ hyperlink ” ? Where would you land? DO:Role-play; 1 Biz leader, 1 HRBP, 1 Observer
As you advance in your role within HR, you will become more imbedded with the groups you support ~ consider yourself in the spotlight, wary of negatively impacting your credibility. Hypocrisy is a fault you cannot afford in HR, personally or professionally.
