My Journey from HR to Business Strategic Leader - The wild Ride!

From 2007 to 2015, I trained more CHROs, HR Leaders and HR Analysts in Strategic Workforce Management and Planning around the globe than anybody not named "Dr. Jac Fitz-Enz." I did all of the workshops for the The Conference Board, The Human Capital Institute, Major Universities and numerous smaller organizations. During the massive growth spurt of Valero Energy to Fortune 12, I was a leader in HR; however, after the 1st-year, I spent more time with the COO, CTO, CFO and CEO than actual day-to-day HR functions. My career was primarily business at the CEO level. I grew-up in business.

HR seldom got to present at the quarterly refinery leadership meeting. After 6-months, I got my chance. The head of OD went before me. She was brilliant, engaging and charismatic. Sadly, she was totally ignored. The Heads of Refineries are often referred to as Starship Captains, out in the unknown with the ability to create wastelands of square miles of populated areas. They experience employee deaths nearly every year and this tears at them. These were tough, determined, laser focused pros and they did not like HR. Unless we in HR got their attention quickly, we were ignored.

It was my turn to present. They weren't paying any more attention to me while engaged in their Fantasy Football conversations, picks of the NFL draft and where they wanted to eat tonight in San Antonio. I chose not to say a word just sitting in my seat as I projected one slide on the screen. It was an Excel Chart showing the predicted 2-year turnover of Engineers and Skilled Trades at the Refineries. One of my interns did a fabulous job even tying predicted turnover to stock price. 

HR Weenies!

After a few more minutes, I hear the voice in the background of the President of our 2nd largest refinery say, "Is this some HR Weenie trying to talk numbers and data to us?" I immediately stood up and said, "Yes Sir, this is some HR Weenie trying to talk numbers and business data to you!" This got their attention. My presentation went 30-minutes over as they buzzed me with questions realizing that this one chart of Critical Positions was just the tip of our work tying HR and workforce data to business data. 

The COO called me into a meeting the next day. He had his top analysts in the meeting. I brought 2 of my interns. Btw: I called them Interns, but they were actually full-time employees giving me 20-30 per week all year long. We had our laptops and data. They grilled us. After a while, the COO said, "It's nice to deal with an HR leader who speaks business, productivity and safety instead the normal HR-ease which I can't stand. But never rig your analytics. I want it straight!" 

The Strategic and Valued HR Journey Backed by C-Suites

From there, it was an amazing ride for our team. Ironically the only department that constantly attacked us were other HR leaders. 

As I built OrcaEyes Strategic Workforce Management and Planning software, I did a good deal of consulting for HR Leadership. 5-times the HR leads were able to introduce me to their CEOs. 5-times I walked out of those meeting with full support of the CEO, 3 times with increased budgets for HR, demands for certain new workforce monthly reports and in 4 instances I received permission to use their names. I held this in my back pocket. We all know what a change agent can do when he/she can throw-out the CEOs name as backing.

The New Strategic Journey for HR

I couldn't understand the disrespect and often flat-out dislike for HR. As I learned, most HR employees are dedicated pros, care deeply for the employees and many are really bright.

I have been so proud of HR for innovatively stepping-up in Employee Engagement post COVID. With little resources and frequently little support from business, they created and implemented numerous new employee support practices. Many HR departments are beginning to change their reps with leaders, managers and employees from, "Here comes the HR Policy Police," to "Here comes a knowledgably friend to help me!"

Leadership usually thinks of HR as Administrative. Outside policy and regs, HR was normally a soft unmeasurable department. 

The Next Step for HR

Leadership wants Strategic HR using real data with measurable metrics that improve the business. On the other hand, we CEOs have not given HR the resources, technology and skills we give to every other mission critical department. Business Analysts? No! Process Analysts? No! Financial Analysts? No. Operations Analysts? No! Business Management Software? No!

Note from Dan: Part of the paragraph below may sound salesy.

If we truly want a Strategic HR, it's time we step-up and provide them with the resources to bring us and our businesses a reality of increased business productivity, sales, safety and business Risk Management. If not, we still still face the ongoing CEO Business Threats of Turnover and Slow Hiring. 

To HR

If you are reading this, Yes, this is change. Please be aware what has occurred in every other department, and this is 100% of Mission Critical departments except HR. When Business Management Software (BMS) is introduced, many measurable, valuable and long-desired business gains are delivered to CEOs and Leadership.

When CEOs decide to implement BMS into a new mission critical department, it is career-wise not to fight this. CEOs know the benefits for decades. Fighting BMS will deepen their long-standing beliefs that HR is administrative. Plus, CEOs can't allow competitors to have major strategic advantages. It's going to happen!

Change is never easy in big businesses. BMS has dramatically changed every other department as it will in Strategic Workforce Management. Step forward and embrace a much more secure, respected and valued future. If you are ready for a Seat-at-the-Table your time close by.