The Chief HR Officer: Defining the New Role of Human Resource Leaders

Selected quotes from HR Policy members contributing to The Chief Human Resource Officer, Defining the New Role of Human Resource Leaders are:

J. Randall MacDonald – "Successful HR leaders must now have a vision for their companies success, make our decisions based on empirical evidence, and accept responsibility for the results of those decisions." P.15

Eva Sage-Gavin – "... at the end of the day, you and your team are the experts at talent management and must be able to understand and identify good versus great talent." P.26

L. Kevin Cox – "Great CHROs (and great CEOs) understand that talent needs to be developed in thoughtful, but not incremental, ways. Getting the balance right between "stretch" and "in over her head" isn’t easy, but it is vital to the success of a world-class talent strategy." P.74

Pamela O. Kimmet – "Top HR leaders say that they spend nearly half of their time with senior business colleagues, serving as a strategic advisor and coach/confidante. Therefore, it is important for you to understand that your success as a CHRO will ultimately hinge on the effectiveness of the relationship you build with your new boss, the CEO, and your peers on the senior leadership team." P. 137

The National Academy of HR and the NAHR Foundation, under the leadership of Cornell School of ILR Professor Patrick Wright, recently published The Chief Human Resource Officer, Defining the New Role of Human Resource Leaders which captures the experience and advice of some of the nation’s leading CHROs and academics on key HR issues. The majority of the contributors, in addition to being Fellows of the National Academy of HR, are CHROs of HR Policy Association member companies, many of whom are Association board members. The Chief Human Resource Officer provides insights on some of the most challenging leadership issues facing experienced and newly appointed CHROs alike. The key themes covered in the book are:

• Today's Chief Human Resource Officer- discussing the challenges CHROs face in today's global economy
• The CHRO As Strategic Advisor and Talent Architect - providing advice and best practices on developing the talent pipeline
• The CHRO As Counselor/Confidant/Coach - discussing the challenges of building relationships with peers, the CEO and other constituents
• The CHRO As Liaison to the Board of Directors - providing advice on how to form effective relationships with the Board of Directors, especially as it relates to executive compensation.
• The CHRO As Leader of the HR Function - Senior HR leaders offer suggestions as to setting the agenda for HR, building the HR team and integrating the HR agenda with that of the broader business.
• Characteristics of Today's CHRO - providing a detailed discussion of the requirements for success in the CHRO rule as well as a review of the backgrounds of today's current CHROs.