| I used to deliver training sessions for our managers | | | | The second is confidence. While it's great to ask |
| who were new to their HR job. This was a two-day | | | | questions to gather data in an employee investigation, |
| training session we did at Quaker Oats and it included | | | | your clients want to know what you think. Leadership |
| our best up-and coming HR leaders. There were 56 | | | | is about having a point a view and sharing it. So you |
| things that we'd tell them they needed to do in order to | | | | have to have enough confidence in yourself to |
| be successful. It included how you interview job | | | | regularly and unabashedly put your own perspectives |
| candidates, coach and counsel, hold career discussions | | | | and ideas on the table in tough situations. |
| and do performance reviews. | | | | The third is caring. No one individual can accomplish |
| As I would get up to conclude the training, I knew from | | | | great things in large, complex organizations. Success |
| past experience that it wasn't possible for these | | | | requires collaboration. And at the end of the day, it's |
| people to remember everything. So I would wrap up | | | | giving a darn and partnering with your clients and your |
| by saying that there are three things that matter in any | | | | colleagues and recognizing that it's the people around |
| HR job. | | | | you are the ones who make you look good in your HR |
| The first is competence. Focus on being the best in | | | | job. |
| your HR job -- whether you're a generalist or in | | | | I've tried to adhere to these three simple rules in every |
| compensation or labor relations. Reach for the higher | | | | HR job I've held. And, I've found over the years that |
| standard. This means focusing on the job you have, | | | | they are as true for those new in their HR job as it is |
| not on the job you want, and committing to grow your | | | | for the senior vice president in HR. |
| skills to become great at what you do. | | | | |