How HR plays its role in leadership development
| Date | 08 June 2015 |
| Published date | 08 June 2015 |
| Pages | 89-93 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-04-2015-0033 |
| Author | Thomas O. Davenport |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Employee behaviour |
How HR plays its role in leadership
development
Thomas O. Davenport
Thomas O. Davenport is
based at Towers Watson,
San Francisco, California,
USA.
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of the article is to demonstrate the value that human resource (HR) can provide
in the effectiveness of leaders and managers.
Design/methodology/approach –Two complementary Towers Watson studies – the 2014 Global
Workforce Study (GWS) of over 32,000 employees, and the 2014 Global Talent Management &
Rewards Study (TM&R) of 1,637 organizations – formed the research basis for the article. The TM&R
study was fielded from April to June 2014 in 31 markets around the world and includes responses
from 1,637 participating organizations in a range of industries. The GWS covers some 32,000
employees from a population of full-time employees working in large- and mid-sized organizations
across a range of industries in 26 markets around the world. It was fielded online during April and
May 2014.
Findings –A key role of HR is ensuring that the organization has the right people performing well
in leadership roles at all levels. This means HR must focus attention in five key areas: job
architecture, incumbent assessment, performance definition, recognition for success and building
leadership capacity. It is also up to HR to dispel the notion that “soft skills” should be subordinate
to “hard skills”, which are often seen as more important. In fact, soft skills are usually more difficult
to master and, in our opinion, are more important – they are what leaders need to maximize
performance from others.
Research limitations/implications –Different observers assign a variety of roles to the HR function.
These range from compliance enforcer and data administrator to strategic partner and culture creator.
The author believes that HR’s most important role may well be ensuring that the organization has an
ample supply of leadership and management capability at every level of the enterprise. It is leaders,
who envision the future and help people generate the motivation to go there, and managers, who see to
it that systems, assets and processes serve their purposes efficiently, who enable the enterprise to
make the most of each employee’s contribution.
Practical implications –In a world where technology evolution, demographic shifts and social
change are rewriting the rules of the workplace, the author can expect that the role of the HR
function will also continue to change. What should not change, however, is the contribution that HR
makes toward building and preserving the organization’s leadership and management capacity. In
this article, the author makes the case that, despite the many shifts taking place in the business
terrain, HR should remain focused on this fundamental goal, acting as ally, trusted advisor and
coach.
Originality/value –The value of this article is to provide strategic and practical advice on how HR can
influence manager and leader effectiveness.
Keywords Human resource management, Employee engagement
Paper type Viewpoint
In different ways, leaders and managers determine an organization’s success. A
leader is like the captain of a fifteenth-century Portuguese ship sailing out of sight of
land for the first time in search of gold, silver and spices. The captain envisions the
destination, plots the course and engenders courage among the sailors (“Don’t worry, I’m
pretty sure we won’t sail off the edge of the earth”). Of course, the mission will fail if the boat
springs a leak, the sails become shredded or the food goes rotten. Good management
DOI 10.1108/SHR-04-2015-0033 VOL. 14 NO. 3 2015, pp. 89-93, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 STRATEGIC HR REVIEW PAGE 89
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