Answer to Question #261498 in Management for Gabriela

Question

What are the attributes of a leader in an organization, and how can HR lead organizations?

Answer 1

Discussion

A leader is someone who can see how things can be improved and who rallies people to move toward that better vision. Leaders can work toward making their vision a reality while putting people first. Just being able to motivate people isn’t enough, leaders need to be empathetic and connect with people to be successful. Successful leaders demonstrate some leadership qualities in their personal and professional lives, inspiring others to take action and set a course for future success. Strong leaders also practice key behaviors on a regular basis in order to strengthen the positive impact of these qualities. Below are some attributes of a leader.

• Leaders are self-aware and prioritize personal development- Effective leaders focus on developing their emotional intelligence. Leaders that work to refine this quality are more adaptive, resilient, and accepting of feedback from others. They are also effective listeners and open to change.
• Leaders focus on developing others- Effective leaders adapt to whether an individual or group is ready, willing, and able to take specific action. Delegating, coaching, and mentoring are important tasks for situational leadership.
• Leaders encourage strategic thinking, innovation, and action- Leaders need to look forward. They have to think about where the organization is going. Leaders must consider internal organizational factors, such as product road-maps and staffing needs, as well as external factors, including government regulations and technology advancement, when making strategic business decisions.
• Leaders are ethical and civic-minded- Strong leaders consider the ethical consequences of the decisions that they make for both their customers and their teams.
• Leaders practice effective cross-cultural communication- Respected leaders are able to clearly communicate with individuals, business units, the entire company, and to stakeholders outside the organization. In an increasingly global economy, leaders must also acknowledge and respect different communication traditions.

Human resources (HR) is the division of a business that is charged with finding, screening, recruiting, and training job applicants, as well as administering employee-benefit programs. The presence of an HR department is an essential component of any business, regardless of the organization's size. An HR department is tasked with maximizing employee productivity and protecting the company from any issues that may arise within the workforce. HR responsibilities include compensation and benefits, recruitment, firing, and keeping up to date with any laws that may affect the company and its employees.

HRs play a vital role in making sure the organization is living its purpose and values. They can articulate and role-model desired individual mind-sets and behaviors linked to purpose by identifying moments that matter in the company’s culture and translating purpose into a set of leadership and employee norms and behaviors. HR also ensures that clear changes are made to recruitment and capability-building processes by determining the characteristics of a purpose driven employee and embedding these attributes within recruitment, development, and succession planning. HR can also incorporate purpose-driven metrics into compensation and performance decisions. 

Reference

Avolio, B. J., & Walumbwa, F. O. (2006). Authentic leadership: Moving HR leaders to a higher level. In Research in personnel and human resources management. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.