What does it mean to have a "Seat at the Table?" do you really want one?

2. MANAGING YOUR CAREER
For A SEAT AT THE TABLE

3. Survey Question
1. What is THE most critical characteristic or behavior for
successful future leaders?
2. What is THE most critical characteristic or behavior for
successful HR executives?
Please write your answer and forward it to the middle for
collection. The results will be shared at the end as well as a
recent survey of Sr. Executives (first question).

4. Market conditions
Corporate integrity waning
Financial Pressures from lots of direction
Corporate character challenged
Longer process for things to happen
HR viewed as a Cost Center in many organizations
Candidates expected to jump through hoops
Anything goes???

5. HR
HR as a strategic player
Management Development
Performance Management
Hiring and Recruiting
Employee Retention
Employee Recognition
Employee Communication
Discipline and Termination
Benefits and Compensation
Policies and Procedure

6. HR Roles

7. More HR roles

9. It’s no wonder there is a high stress level
and burnout when there are so many
things to do and yet, we still want a seat
at the table! How can you take on more?
HR as Caregiver: so busy taking
care of everyone else, we forget
to take care of ourselves.

10. You know what you need to do
“though the voices around
you kept shouting their bad
advice”
-mary oliver “the Journey”

11. Your Story
Common threads to all stories
Market conditions continue to change
Listen to our lives
Learn from each other

12. What is a Seat at the Table?
No real data on this at SHRM
Merely my opinions from research and interviewing SVPs of
HR with major companies and consultants
Learn from each other
Walk away with a few ideas to help your career

13. What is a “Seat at the Table?”

14. Questions to ponder….
Why do you want a seat at the table?
Are you willing to put forth the effort and commitment to
earn a seat at the table?
How does your organization view the HR function?
Transactional
Strategic
What challenges are you facing now where your expertise
can go beyond HR?
What activities will your organization value in the future?

15. Defining a Seat at the Table
Priest, fireman, social worker, therapist…
There is no formula
All about building credibility
Respect will have to be earned
You won’t have all of the answers
Solve and resolve a problem without putting them through
all of the processes we have to go through in HR.

16. More Seat at the Table thoughts
In each situation how do I add value
Compliance, Legal, Integrity, Protect organization,
Why even have a policy if you’re always going to make
exceptions…
Policies reflect the organization, then a new financial
instrument doesn’t fit…
Critical thinker and a pragmatic problem solver
TRUSTED ADVISOR

17. Case Study -- groups of 5-7
Company ABC
Compliance issue with the SEC with Chairman/Founder/CEO
and CFO – collectively some “bonehead” things.
Company had a strong legacy with regulatory issues with the
SEC and other bodies
Founder of the organization is Chairman/CEO a little bit of a
cowboy and reckless
Corporate Integrity is challenged within the organization and
with shareholders
How would you work through these issues? Steps? Thoughts?
Impact on the organization? Process?

18. Major Turnaround by SVP HR
Moved quickly and decisively
Maintained Integrity of individuals
Split CEO and Chairman role for governance
Hired a new CEO
Replaced Board Members and formed a new board
Eventually replaced Chairman
Communicated throughout the organization especially once
the new CEO was hired
Trusted Advisor
Did not use metrics and analytics only soft skills
Challenged by CEO -- Implementation

19. HR VALUE PROPOSITION
Dave Ulrich

20. Ulrich gets most of it right in his
assumptions with the HRValue
Proposition, but perhaps or arguably
misses one key ingredient or
assumption….(my opinion only for
debate purposes)

21. HR Value Proposition
Knowing
External
Business
realities
Ensuring HR
Professionalism Serving
(HR roles, External
competencies and Internal
and Stakeholder
development)
HRValue
Proposition
Adapted from
Ulrich (2005)
Crafting HR
Building HR Practices
Resources
(people,
(HR Strategy performance,
and
Organization” information
and work

22. External business realities
Technology
Economics
Trends
Globalization
Demographics
customer

23. Internal Stakeholders
Politics of your organization
Customers
Investors
Managers
Employees

24. Crafting HR Practices
People
Performance
Information
Work

25. Building HR Resources
HR Strategy
Organizational Strategy

26. Ensuring HR Professionalism
HR Roles
Competencies
HR professional Development
How do you develop executives?
What is your succession plan within HR?
What is your development plan for yourself?

27. Framework for change…
Set the parameters with a business implication from an HR
perspective
Analysis (i.e., SWOT, GAP, Interview stakeholders)
Collaborate and define the outcome
Investment and Commitment
Monitor (metrics) how are we doing?

28. What can you do?
Examine your role within your organization.
Get out of your transactional comfort zone.
Work on and Improve the soft skills.
Understand the mission of the CEO and approach HR
from a business perspective.
Target key projects and interests where you know you
will make a difference with a special project.
Look for opportunities to align people, processes,
mission and values for business success
Use metrics and analytics to make better decisions.

29. What else can you do?
Get an MBA and focus on the business first and HR second.
Understand all of the departments and their challenges by
working in all aspects of the organization.
(stuck in search, benefits or employee relations)
IF HR is not valued within your organization, you will need
to consider changing employers to reach your destination or
gain the experiences you need to grow your career.

30. HR Competencies
TRUSTED
Strategic
Contribution ADVISOR
Business
Knowledge
HR
HR Delivery
Technology

31. What is a typical Business
Approach to Value Proposition

32. Business Case and Value Proposition
Product
Based on model
developed by &
Treacy & Wiersema,
Harvard Business Service Offerings
Review,
Jan-Feb. 1993
Customer & Market
Operational Excellence

33. Successful Business Case
Components (Value Proposition)
Value Proposition
Current situation
Define problem(s)
Describe implication(s)
Recommend solution(s)
Recommend Strategic Action Plan
Create roadmap/timeline
Define resource requirements
Identify “high impact” opportunities
Outline appropriate knowledge sharing approach
Define measures for success
Develop deployment plan
Secure Executive Sponsors
Parallel activities

34. Identify Business Opportunities
Pain Points within your organization are
Business Opportunities
Analysis – conduct interviews, SWOT, GAP
Brainstorm – “blue ocean” solutions
Evaluate for readiness, business value and intervention
Identify passionate stakeholders
Apply critical thinking throughout the organization
Soft Skills and a Trusted Advisor will lead the way

35. Why do we Measure
Measurement has the power to focus attention on desired
behaviors and results.
To tie the measures that matter to the organization
Measures can provide:
assessment and baseline information
link strategy and tactics
indicators of what is important (desired behaviors and
outcomes)
feedback to guide change
basis for a business case

36. Potential areas of Measurement
Financial
Customer
Employee
Market leadership
Innovation and learning
Retention (customer and/or employee)
Operational effectiveness
Community
Projects

37. Cause and Effect
If learning improves, then internal processes improve
If internal processes improve, customer value increases
If customer value increases, financial performance improves
In the final analysis, financial
performance of the organization is
the ultimate evaluation of any
business strategy.

38. “Success Simplified”
HR
Company Fully Employee
Engaged
Organization

39. Are you practicing HR the way you want?

40. What skills or traits will drive HR in the
future?
What skills or personal development do
you need to impact your organization and
grow your career?

41. Seat at the Table: a Trusted Advisor that
focuses on the needs of the organization
from a business perspective with an eye
on organizational development, people,
HR Strategy, Processes and compliance.

42. Taking Charge of Your Development
Personal vision
Opportunities to
Grow
Self Awareness The person YOU
Proactive stance want to be
Create a learning environment
Adapted from Morgan McCall, Jr.

43. Awareness begins with
Knowing Your Strengths
Assessment (M-B, DISC, Hogan, Birkman, et. Al)
Coach, Mentor
360 Profile
Knowing Your Weaknesses
Extension of your strengths?
Companies may exploit strengths
Career limiting or derailment
Recognize un- or underdeveloped areas for exploration

44. Purpose, Passion & Vision
“You have the right to have meaningful work”(dampier)
Who are you in community?
Who are you at work?
What do you want?
What do you believe in?
What do you stand for in yourself or others?
What are your core beliefs and values?
Tombstone Test – if you were to die tomorrow how do you
want to be remembered?
How do you choose to apply you talent & gifts?

45. Survey Answer - Intellectual Agility
Collect and gather information from different sources to
provide new insights or meaning
Generate a number of solutions from simple to complex
Adapt thinking and process to different environments,
perspectives and options
Work with new ideas or concepts including shifting
paradigms
Maintain flexibility over time as solutions play out
Adapted and modified from RHR Int’l.

46. 7 Keys to Career Transition
1. Know your PURPOSE
2. Manage your ATTITUDE
3. Customize your Resume
4. Savvy Networking - Work by referral
5. PREPARE for the Interview
6. Exceptional Follow up
7. FAITH – persistence

47. Manage Your Career
Re-Awaken Your Passion for Work
Know when to leave
Work with a Coach or Mentor
Manage Yourself
Manage your Boss
Surviving Leadership

48. Closing Thoughts
Survey response from audiences
Business
HR
If anyone would like to participate in a group to address these
career issues, please see me after the meeting or email me.
dampier Openings

49. OBJECTIVES
Define a “Seat at the Table”
Breakout and discuss a Case Study
Discuss the HR Value Proposition
Managing your Career for a Seat at the Table