Dean Carter |
Last month, I attended the Social Innovation Summit in LA and several other events that were full of HR leaders from a variety of industries.
It didn’t take long for conversation to start up about the hot topics in HR: hybrid work and return to office policies, generative AI, skills-based hiring, investments in career mobility, and more.
Getting the chance to trade notes and share experiences was energizing, and I know I wasn’t alone in feeling that way.
In a profession where leaders often put the needs of others first, we too often choose to go it alone and puzzle through the challenges ourselves — even when our HR peers are figuring their way through very similar challenges.
That’s where I think we have more room to build community. Not just around support, but also for inspiration.
That spirit of community is what drew me to create our CHRO Compass community earlier this year, and we’re continuing to grow and share best practices with one another.
As leaders, we’re all experimenting, learning what works and what doesn’t, and improving the way we show up in our roles.
By sharing that wisdom with one another and strengthening our bonds with other talented HR leaders, the potential exists to raise the bar even further on the job we can do.
Leaning into community
Community can serve multiple useful purposes, and when we tap into it effectively, we can all become better people leaders for the organizations we serve.
1. Community for support
HR has been a pressure cooker for years, creating a near-constant sense of transition and transformation.
It’s no wonder that burnout is so high among HR teams, with some questioning whether a career as an HR leader is a sustainable career path.
KarmaCheck found that 61% of the U.S. HR and recruiting leaders they surveyed in November had considered quitting their job in the last year.
It’s all too common for company initiatives pushing for greater efficiency to be led by HR teams that are already overstretched themselves.
This is where we can gain so much by sharing experiences with one another, comparing experiences, and talking about our best strategies for getting through the harder times.
2. Community for inspiration and solutions
Community activity can also be one of the greatest sparks for creative problem-solving and inspiration around new experiments.
Here’s where it’s best to get comfortable with the fact that none of us has the answers to everything.
When we find a community of peers where we can demonstrate that vulnerability without fear of judgment, suddenly there’s plenty of room to share and learn together.
Take career mobility, for example.
I talk with HR leaders all the time who recognize the importance of upskilling their talent and providing clearer career pathways to keep their employees engaged, but they either worry about getting the expense approved or simply haven’t seen the evidence of success to take a leap with their investment.
Given Guild’s experience, I’ve been able to talk about what we’ve seen and connect them with other HR executives who have tried different options and come up with solutions that meet their goals and also lead to positive outcomes for their employees.
If this theme resonates with you, please visit my LinkedIn profile and share your experiences with community in the HR field.
Thought-starter questions about community
Here are a few thought-starter questions to get you thinking:
1. Why do you think being part of a community is important or important to you?
2. What’s an example of when you leaned in on a community for support or to learn?
3. What do you think is the unique value that an HR community should bring?
Together, I know we can do so much more.
Until next time, be well, shine on.
Dean’s List
To read more insights about the evolving role of purpose-driven HR leaders from Dean Carter and his CHRO Compass community, sign up here.
