Or so says this HBS article (via Be Excellent).
Instead, they argue it’s the job of every operating manager and senior management up to and including the board should play a part:
In this worldview, it is part of the line manager’s job to recognize his subordinates’ developmental needs, to help them cultivate new skills, and to provide them opportunities for professional development and personal growth. Managers must do this even if it means nudging their rising stars into new functional areas or business units. They must mentor emerging leaders, from their own and other departments, passing on important knowledge and providing helpful evaluations and feedback. The operating managers’ own evaluations, development plans, and promotions, in turn, depend on how successfully they nurture their subordinates.
Further, boards can play a vital role in shepherding up-and-comers. Because they are detached from day to day operations, they can more clearly see the company’s leadership needs and bench strength.
This feels about right to me, but if it’s the case, what then is the role of HR? To me, it’s twofold: guidance and enablement.
Guidance in that HR experts will always be needed to help assess an individual’s ability and potential inside the organization. If the board adds value because they are outside the company, HR can add value by being the insider. As far as enablement, by providing and owning strategic platforms like performance management, HR can ensure they are the fundamental enabler of leadership development and succession planning.
Thoughts?
March 6th, 2006 at 11:24 am
There is an article from BusinessWeek in 1998 that talks a little bit about how Jack Welch embraced his role as a developer of talent at http://www.businessweek.com/1998/23/b3581001.htm. It’s amazing how this well understood secret of GE’s success hasn’t totally permeated all reaches of the business world. Fortunately, some companies that I have worked for have embraced this. My experience working with Deloitte Consulting and Dell showed me how those organizations extended manager commitments to talent development down to the very bottom of the chain. There is an article on how Dell views learning and reviews at http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/20/cone.html. There has been a lot written about Dell’s 360 process though a quick search didn’t find anything. From what I have seen, the motivation at Dell and Deloitte for middle and low level manager to develop talent came directly from incorporating staff development into manager performance reviews. One function of HR in all of this was to facilitate the matching of managers and coaches such that the stated development goals of an employee matched the strengths of the manager/coach. Assessing managers on the effectiveness of their coaching, and then ensuring that the top managers are rewarded effectively, is also a complex process that requires much HR talent and skill. SuccessFactors has also worked hard to implement 360 degree reviews and mentorship programs. I’m looking forward to seeing how this commitment to development progresses as the company matures.