The Truth about Talent: A guide to building a dynamic workforce, realizing potential and helping leaders succeed

Chapter 4. Strategy – Beginning With the End in Mind

The strategist's method is very simply to challenge the prevailing assumptions with a single question: Why?

Kenichi Ohmae, The Mind of the Strategist, Mcgraw-Hill

Strategies succeed by being as simple and compelling as possible, routinely guiding decisions. They are considered and relevant as well as aspirational; they are distinctive, sometimes bold and audacious, and they play to a firm's strengths, now and in the future.

One day, the chief HR officer will be seated at the same table as other business leaders. Before that happens, however, those other leaders will need to recognize and value the work of people management professionals as being central to the strategy, future and success of their organization. Unfortunately, for too long now people management professionals in many enterprises have been undervalued. This confused situation makes the claim that 'people are our most valuable resource' sound particularly hollow. The truth is that people issues underpin every other aspect of an organization's activities: they are essential for any organization to implement a strategy, serve customers, innovate or simply generate revenue profits and value. The problem is complex: too often HR practices are disconnected or peripheral to the business strategy, and it can appear as if HR professionals are concerned about people at the expense of other priorities (such as profitability, serving customers or creating value). The link between ...