The Music of Great H.R. Leadership
The other day I was "shootin' the breeze", as they say, with an HR leader about a variety of topics. Our conversation then took a serious turn and we started to talk about leadership. Initially, the focus of the conversation was on the CEO of this HR person's company and some of the things that leader does to get everyone moving in the same direction. It was a great conversation. Eventually we started to broaden the conversation to managers and anyone that leads teams.
Then, I asked a question. The answer was like a great song. Think about any great song, any genre. What is the one thing they all have in common? The answer: the singer of the song can make you feel the way the singer feels. It is emotion, it is language, it is the combination of melody and words to make you believe you understand exactly what that singer was going through when they wrote that song. Great leaders do the same exact thing! When a great business leader communicates, they describe where the team or the company is headed. But, hey don't just say the words and use all the latest and greatest management techniques. A great business leader makes you feel it! Think about inspiration and times you were ready to "charge the mountain". I will bet the person who made you want to take action was a great leader who made you feel the way that they feel.
Why doesn't leadership training focus on that skill set? It seems to me and my HR friend to be the common denominator of the best leaders.
Rick Maher
CEO
Turning Point HCM
