Leadership Matters: Spreading the Word

The 2008 SHRM conference held in the windy city of Chicago was a glowing success.  Hundreds of Human Resource professionals from all over the country attended the conference, and I had the opportunity to talk with many of them at the ELI booth.  During these countless, informal chats, I kept hearing two buzzwords – leadership and professionalism.  One conference attendee had this interesting observation:  she has no problem finding employees with the technical skills for positions, but she struggles to find employees with both technical skill and leadership skills.  Sound familiar?

Most HR professionals are seeking ways to develop their employees beyond mere compliance training.  This is a trend I’ve seen on calls with many clients.  They need more comprehensive training imbedded with their companies’ values.  Successful companies know that leadership and professionalism are crucial to long-term financial health, and they know, as well, that these two components are not only a requirement for executive positions, but that they must permeate the organization. HR professionals are charged with the task of finding solutions to make this happen.

I returned to Atlanta convinced that we finally get the big picture:  employment learning must be holistic to be effective.  And here’s the good news…leadership can be taught; professionalism can be taught; values can be taught.  I’m spreading the word!