It’s Time for a Collective Commitment to Changing the Perception of Human Resources
Tags: Human Resources, Books, Management, Leadership, Business

The New Playbook for Putting People First ends up putting HR Last. And as a Human Resources professional, I am tired of HR getting a bad rap.

And I find that even when the “experts” try to elevate HR’s position, they often do more harm than good.

A case in point is the book, Talent Wins, The New Playbook for Putting People First by Ram Charan, Dominic Barton, and Dennis Carey.

As a professional who understands how talent drives organizational success, I was eager to dive into this book. So, with notebook and highlighter in hand, I cracked open the cover, prepared to be inspired.

But after reading only the introduction, I was disappointed by the undertones that implied incompetency in the ranks of the HR profession.

For example, on page three of the introduction, the authors list questions CEO’s are asking now, including, “How can I be sure that I have the right approach to talent-and the right HR-to drive the changes we need to make?”

I don’t know about you, but most of the CEO’s I know would probably close the book there, fire their HR leader, and set out to find one who has the right approach to talent.

But it has been my experience that HR leaders are only as good as the CEO they work for.

In other words, if the CEO doesn’t value the “people side” of the organization, it’s no surprise that business leaders evaluate HR leaders poorly on their ability to deliver value.

For example, in this Gallup article, by Jeremie Brecheisen, Why HR Leaders Never Become the CEO, but Should, the author contends that “Few CEO’s gain experience in the people part of the organization.” So, there is a disconnect between HR and the top of the organization.

Assuming our CEO’s do continue reading beyond page three of the introduction, the HR digs keep coming on page six where the authors outline the structure of their recommended “G3” team. This team they suggest is “a group of three people consisting of you (the CEO), your CFO, and a CHRO who is as committed, talented, and empowered as the CFO herself.”

Well, that’s interesting…

The authors only focus on the capabilities of the CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer). So, the immediate takeaway is that all CFO’s (Chief Financial Officers) are committed, talented, and empowered.

But when it comes to HR professionals, well, that’s a different story. Yet, I have worked in organizations where the CFO’s fixation on the bottom line has been to the detriment of the broader strategy of the organization.

Of course, I need to give credit where credit is due by clarifying that the authors do push to elevate HR to the same level as Finance at the end of the introduction. But by then, they have already planted the seeds of doubt about the competence in the HR ranks. So, I am quite certain their advice will likely fall on deaf ears.

To fully understand the authors’ intent, I made a commitment to finish reading the book. And in the end, I can say there were some interesting takeaways, but the “incompetent HR” theme continued to pop up throughout each of the chapters.

For example, in chapter two, in a section devoted to elevating the CHRO, the authors subscribe to the practice of “… filling the CHRO position with someone who has had line responsibilities, rather than simply promoting the highest person on the HR career ladder.” They say this is necessary to ensure that he/she has a deep understanding of the business.

Are HR Professionals incapable of developing a deep understanding of the businesses for which they work?

As a point of comparison, consider the number of times that a sales leader is promoted to the CEO position. In their new role, this person is expected to understand all aspects of the business, including HR, Operations, and Finance. Yet, the former sales leader has likely been externally focused for most of his/her career.

In fact, in this McKinsey & Company article, How Functional Leaders Become CEO’s, the authors open the article with the following statement: “Limited operational experience is not necessarily a barrier to the top job.” Yet the authors of “Talent Wins” argue that this is a barrier for HR professionals.

Apparently, there are different rules and expectations for HR professionals to succeed in a more elevated role.

Would that have anything to do with the fact that most HR leaders are women? Food for thought…

The authors proceed with their dialogue about HR in chapter two by citing a quote by the late Randy Macdonald stating that, “When someone enters the boardroom as an HR person, he’s probably held to a higher standard because of cynicism and skepticism of the role of HR.” But then the authors conclude that “A first-rate CHRO is most effective when he or she works with a board of directors that sees talent as its primary responsibility.”

But isn’t that a contradiction? How can talent be a priority for a board of directors with little regard for the role of Human Resources?

And finally, the most damaging chapter in the book is chapter four, titled, “Make HR a Source of Competitive Advantage”. But on their way to revealing this strategy, the authors will once again plant the seeds of doubt about the capabilities of the HR profession.

For example, the authors interviewed an HR professional (who started his career in 1976) who told them, “Most HR people don’t have courage.” And when the authors outlined the necessity for CHRO’s to transition to a more strategic role, they stated, “Some of your existing HR people will be able, perhaps with training, to make the transition. Others will not.”

I think I speak for all HR professionals when I say, “Thanks for the vote of confidence!”

And once again, the authors fail to call into question the role or competency of the CFO, who is a critical member of the “G3” team. But the authors do refer to CFO’s at the end of chapter four where they provide an analysis of CFO pay versus CHRO pay.

And of course, there are no surprises there. CFO’s earn approximately seventy-seven percent more compensation than CHRO’s.

And while this section is titled, “End the CHRO Pay Disparity”, the authors’ suggestion doesn’t come without strings attached. The opening line of this section states the following condition, “If HR can transform itself in the way we’ve described in this chapter…”

But let’s face it, perception can be reality. And the HR profession has a public perception problem. Think of the TV show, “The Office” or the movie, “Up in the Air” where HR professionals are portrayed as cold, uncaring, weak, and inflexible. And books like this one do nothing to help HR overcome this perception.

I challenge the authors of this book and global business leaders to stop throwing stones and recognize their culpability in hindering HR leaders.

Going back to the Gallup article cited earlier, the author states, “… unlike their peers, CHROs and HR directors are rarely groomed for business leadership. And they often aren’t given business experience like other executives — where they move around to diverse departments — they instead stay positioned to support the leaders around them.”

According to the authors, when it comes to being a business partner, “… HR, despite its best efforts, often falls short in this role.”

What about the efforts of others? Isn’t it time for them to step up and provide HR with the necessary exposure and opportunities?

Successful leaders will tell you that they didn’t succeed solely by their own efforts. They had some help along the way…