2010 is here! A new year with new opportunities for the development of strategic human capital capabilities that enable business success. For Human Capital Development (HCD) consultants to be successful in 2010, it will require a different approach than what presented itself during the current economic crisis that started in 2008.
During the economic crisis, most human capital consultants were reacting to environmental requirements to cut costs. Only companies like IBM, Cisco and HP were positioned to look strategically at human capital capabilities necessary for competitive advantage in the knowledge economy. In a world where change is constant, only the speed varies, taking a strategic approach to executing business strategy is the real opportunity in 2010.
The leadership of organizations understands the importance of people in their success. The IBM 2008 Global CEO study - The Enterprise of the Future - surveyed CEOs on external forces with the greatest impact on their organizations. People Skills tied for first with 48% of respondents and is the only factor to increase between the 2004, 2006 and 2008 surveys. However, our ability as HCD consultants to define the knowledge, skills and capabilities to execute business strategy is lacking. A 2009 survey by IBM of senior HR executives showed a 48% gap in the importance of defining knowledge, skills and capabilities versus the effectiveness of their teams to do it.
So a key opportunity in 2010 will be strategic HCD consulting. A focus on becoming strategic partners leading to trusted advisor roles that allow us to proactively recommend integrated human capital solutions.
So here's to a great 2010 for our profession.
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“our ability as HCD consultants to define the knowledge, skills and capabilities to execute business strategy is lacking.”
ReplyDeleteThis is indeed a valid statement looking backwards but it is neither the current nor the future state of the knowledge, skills and capabilities. Created 30 months ago, the Bellevue University Human Capital Lab has the a charter to do exactly this: “We will be national leaders in assisting corporate leaders and institutions meet the human capital investment challenges of the knowledge based twenty first century global economy. Long term success will be founded upon the development of management models, language and data – know how that will unlock the value created by training and education expenditures as strategic investments rather than current period expenses.” Through applied research at companies that include Sun Microsystems, Chrysler, US Bank, Microsoft, Verizon Wireless, Convergys, the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Conagra, Mutual of Omaha and others. The Lab is increasingly being recognized as an innovator through multiple awards over the past 18 months. The evidence is that the Bellevue University Human Capital Lab is fulfilling its mission on a number of substantive dimensions. The larger challenge now is to impact the culture of leading organizations in ways that educate and inform leaders in the C-Suite including the CEO, COO, CFO and CHRO to use the methods developed to improve the performance of their organizations. Masters and Ph.D. degree programs in human capital management have been developed and are being deployed to build the capability of executives to use the measurements and methods developed in the Lab.