Innovation

Ready, Set, Innovate!

This year’s CHRO of the Year Award finalists are leading the charge in total HR transformation.

By Marta Chmielowicz

What makes a great CHRO? Well, that depends on who is asked:

Jim Hazboun, SVP and CHRO, Hyundai Capital: “Great CHROs bring leadership together to design, develop, and transform culture so that it aligns with business strategy and drives results. They serve as strategists, evangelists, Sherpas, and coaches to the leadership and the organization.”

Christine Esckilsen, Managing Director and CHRO, Piper Jaffray: Great CHROs require “the ability to influence and inspire others to contribute, perform, develop, take accountability, and succeed.”

Chad Holman, VP and CHRO, Varex Imaging Corporation: “For a CHRO to be successful they need to be flexible, agile, and a risk taker. What I’ve learned over the years in this profession is that one philosophy does not fit all -every organization needs a tailored touch.”

Nikki T. Harland, SVP of HR, Paradies Lagardère: “One of the most important keys to success for CHROs is a balance of pure business understanding and strategy. A superior understanding and contribution to the entire business or industry is really what sets the best apart.”

Lorraine Booth, SVP and CHRO, MemorialCare Health System: The best CHROs “lead with courage. They don’t let fear paralyze them or keep them from doing the difficult work. They measure risk, but do the right thing for the right reason.”

Rudy Campoya, CHRO, Socorro Independent School District: “…Being able to align and adapt to change and understanding the workforce across generations [is essential for a great CHRO]. We are a multi-generational workforce and things that work for some, don’t work for all, so in order to be successful, we have to be adaptable.”

Karen Crone, CHRO, Paycor: “CHROs must have a high bar and nose for talent. The HR leader has his or her hands in significant leadership hires which influence the trajectory of the business and ultimately its culture. Developing a top-flight, high-performing leadership team in partnership with the CEO is a visible contribution.”

Karen Anderson, SVP and CHRO, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: “CHROs need to have the courage to be a ‘truth teller’; to be able to address behaviors in the moment for a leader or a team, to be able to reflect back to a team their potential blind spots, and to be the catalyst for change.”

While each of these responses highlights a key capability of a CHRO, they all have a common thread: the ability to innovate and inspire meaningful change. And this skill is mission-critical, for according to research by Randstad Sourceright, 84 percent of HR leaders say that the work they do prepares their organization for the future.

HRO Today‘s 2018 CHRO of the Year Awards honor the top HR leaders that are innovating for the future. Here are this year’s finalists; award winners will be announced at the HRO Today Forum on April 30 at MGM National Harbor, Md.

Click here to view this year’s CHRO of the Year Award finalists.

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Tags: Innovation

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