I recently attended the local Twin Cities SHRM Conference (Society for Human Resource Management) at the Radisson Blu Mall of America in the Twin Cities area. I was lucky to listen to an interesting and powerful speech by Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., the CEO of SHRM.

He spoke to the top 250 CEOs from across the USA about important topics related to what Human Resources (HR) is lacking in today’s business world. As an HR leader, it’s hard to hear when we aren’t doing something right. But it also reminds us of the importance of what we do and how it impacts the businesses we work with.

Key Points from Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.

Mr. Taylor talked about several key points:

  • HR needs to function well, or someone else will take over that role
  • HR needs to understand how their employer makes money
  • HR should influence workplace law and policy
  • HR should practice courageously

Understanding the Business

He told a story about a big company’s CEO who said he understood how important HR was to his organization. The CEO felt that HR’s role was integrated into the overall focus and aspects of the business. But, at the same time, he didn’t feel like his HR leaders were providing what he needed for his business.

Many HR professionals get caught up in day-to-day tasks. They understand the HR pieces but can’t always connect them to the business itself. The CEO felt that the HR leaders didn’t understand the business and how the company makes money.

The CEO wants HR to have a voice and stand up for the people. But, he also wants HR to focus on sharing what they’re hearing in the market and what other companies are doing in their industry. HR needs to relate that back to the business and how it impacts making money. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. HR has to think outside the box, understand the laws and policies, and figure out what the company needs.

My Personal Takeaways

Here are some key things I took away from this experience that are important for anyone working with or working in an HR capacity:

  1. You don’t need to understand all the financial details of the business. However, you need to know HOW they impact the business and what the company can provide to employees.
  2. Understand the business plan for growth so you can properly plan the hiring strategy. This is HR strategy work – getting out of the day-to-day tasks.
  3. Sit at the table with leaders. Challenge them, but also share your viewpoint with data and information. Be open to listening to the business side, too.
  4. Ask to be part of leadership conversations, even if you just listen at first. This is how you learn when to speak up for what’s right.
  5. When meeting with leaders, have a plan and a list of topics. Share the issue, solutions you’ve found, and data. If you need more info, get it before the meeting so you’re prepared.
  6. Leave with a plan for your next steps and timeline. It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers right away. Learn from it, find solutions, and apply it next time.
  7. Lean on other HR professionals. Be honest about what you don’t know, but commit to learning.

These traits make great strategic HR leaders.

If being tactical is more your passion, that’s okay, too. You just have to know what you love and then lean in and leverage other professional relationships and resources available to you to achieve a goal or overcome any challenges in your path.