The Quest for High Performing HR People
it's not just about skills
Paul Fairhurst | Opinion Paper OP1 | Institute for Employment Studies | Jun 2006
HR is partly about creating high performing organisations, and one question that keeps being asked is how we can create more high performing senior HR people.
One HR Director of a major organisation recently commented that there were lots of people with strong HR knowledge in the HR function but few with the business acumen or personal strength to really challenge line managers about what they were doing.
This paper argues that, in addition to the traditional HR knowledge and skills, high performing senior HR staff need the right mindset, attitudes and beliefs. Those with the right personal characteristics will add significant value to their organisations and will be given the respect and status that they desire.