Leadership Done Right

Brandon W. Jones

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The Effective Use Of Limited Resources

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In leadership, you have limited resources.  You have a limited supply of time, capital, and human resources.   Because you have limited resources, it is very important to effectively use your resources.  You should not pursue what you consider a less effective use of time, capital, or human resources.  It is important to identify what is and is not worth your limited resources.

The Effective Use Of Limited Resources

Five Questions To Determine How To Use Limited Resources

Processes develop and change over time.  As a leader, look closely at your organization to identify how to most effectively use your limited resources.  The following five questions will help you identify what needs resources and what does not.

1. What is your core business?  You company probably has a core business.  Identify your core business.  Do you serve people or create widgets?  Then identify which processes support the core business and which ones do not.  If the process does not support the core business, determine if it is worth having.  With limited resources, identify the key processes that support the core business.   [Read more…] about The Effective Use Of Limited Resources

Becoming An HR Business Partner

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This is a guest post by Bert Somsinsawasdi.  He is an HR Professional that currently manages the HR department for a fortune 50 company.  He oversees six facilities with approximately 1,300 employees.  His website is Understanding HR and his Twitter Handle is @BertSomsin

As revenues decrease and margins get tighter, focus is shifted towards increased efficiency and effectiveness.   Many corporations are weary about making adjustments to revenue producing sectors of the business so the support functions have been targeted for change.  One particular department undergoing dramatic changes across multiple industries is the human resources department.

Becoming An HR Business Partner

When earnings were plentiful, Human Resources consisted of many different sub-divisions such as: employee relations, learning and development, workforce planning, health and wellness, safety, recruiting, and so on.  Fast-forward to today when everyone is struggling to meet analyst expectations on Wall Street and you get a bandwagon movement towards a package deal approach. The separate divisions within HR have been dismantled and bundled up into one generalist model.

Large corporations like Amazon, Conoco Phillips, Northrop Grumman and Volvo, to name a few, have transformed to meet shareholder expectations by developing the position of HR business partner.  This revolution is demanding HR professionals with a wider skill set and deeper understanding of the overall business.  As the title implies, a business partner is involved in the execution of all initiatives. Gone are the days when technical knowledge was enough to move you forward in your career.  In the present and future, corporate America wants more! [Read more…] about Becoming An HR Business Partner

Use HR for A Competitive Advantage

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There are many lessons that can be learned from a successful company. Southwest Airlines is a great example of how the proper use of the human resources department can create a competitive advantage. Many companies say their employees are their most important assets, but relatively few companies act accordingly.

I learned from the case study that in big corporations it is actually possible to treat the employees as the most important asset, which in turn it creates a competitive advantage. Southwest Airlines put the needs of their people foremost creating a unity amongst the employees that was very strong.

Use HR for A Competitive Advantage

Create a competitive advantage through HR

As Southwest Airlines demonstrated, the people within a company are the most important asset. When the employees feel needed and appreciated they will work harder. In addition, it is very important for the employer to take care of its employees so the employees can trust the company. One of the biggest factors in employee satisfaction is the measure of trust they have in the company.

An additional factor that was very important to Southwest Airlines was allowing the employees to be themselves. Some companies say they allow employees to be unique. However, immediately upon hiring, they put the employee into the predetermined mold. From the Southwest Airlines case, I was able to learn how to allow people to be themselves. People can be put into a job where they are required to do certain tasks but then given the freedom to make decisions and interact using their best judgment.

Another important factor that leads to employee satisfaction is the employee’s ability to make important decisions without having to constantly ask permission. I’ve worked in situations where I was unsure which decisions I could make and those only the supervisor could make. Those situations created a great amount of uncertainty which hindered my ability to work effectively.

I have also worked in other situations where I was able to make decisions without having to ask my supervisor. Those situations gave me more confidence and allowed me to be a better employee. Additionally, that trust made me more conscientious about my work, since it wouldn’t be reviewed quite as closely.

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