Comments on: HR Specialists or Generalists? http://www.balance-and-results.com/hr-specialists-or-generalists.html Effectiveness in Human Resources, Leadership and Personal Success Strategies Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:47:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dave Crisp http://www.balance-and-results.com/hr-specialists-or-generalists.html/comment-page-1#comment-141 Dave Crisp Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:57:08 +0000 http://www.balance-and-results.com/?p=252#comment-141 You're right, Phil, most of the latest leadership development efforts put heavy emphasis on rotating people through a variety of positions and functions and even countries to expose them to the challenges and choices that exist which they otherwise might never think of. You’re right, Phil, most of the latest leadership development efforts put heavy emphasis on rotating people through a variety of positions and functions and even countries to expose them to the challenges and choices that exist which they otherwise might never think of.

]]> By: Phil Wilson http://www.balance-and-results.com/hr-specialists-or-generalists.html/comment-page-1#comment-140 Phil Wilson Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:01:56 +0000 http://www.balance-and-results.com/?p=252#comment-140 Hi Dave I agree with your comments. You can't rise to the ranks of Executive HR or even senior generalist without understanding the basic tenants of the human resources function. All generalists need to have a few pillars of depth in an HR specialty. e.g.. employee relations,compensation,recruiting and OD. I have managed HR leadership development programs for large organizations bringing in university grads with HR degrees and MBA's. We ran over these over 2 years (6 month rotational programs) in all these areas. We then put these high potentials into positions that they chose either specialist or generalist ones. Most importantly in their development was assigning them mentors that could help them navigate the organization. The bottom line for me is that you have to be an expert in a number of HR areas as well if you can spend time in another area of the business outside of HR. Hi Dave
I agree with your comments. You can’t rise to the ranks of Executive HR or even senior generalist without understanding the basic tenants of the human resources function. All generalists need to have a few pillars of depth in an HR specialty. e.g.. employee relations,compensation,recruiting and OD. I have managed HR leadership development programs for large organizations bringing in university grads with HR degrees and MBA’s. We ran over these over 2 years (6 month rotational programs) in all these areas. We then put these high potentials into positions that they chose either specialist or generalist ones. Most importantly in their development was assigning them mentors that could help them navigate the organization.
The bottom line for me is that you have to be an expert in a number of HR areas as well if you can spend time in another area of the business outside of HR.

]]> By: Dave Crisp http://www.balance-and-results.com/hr-specialists-or-generalists.html/comment-page-1#comment-138 Dave Crisp Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:13:59 +0000 http://www.balance-and-results.com/?p=252#comment-138 Thanks Craig, I think you've captured a key aspect of communication - both parties have to ensure the other understands and to do that it helps to have some experience with both perspectives. Thanks Craig,
I think you’ve captured a key aspect of communication – both parties have to ensure the other understands and to do that it helps to have some experience with both perspectives.

]]> By: Craig Allen http://www.balance-and-results.com/hr-specialists-or-generalists.html/comment-page-1#comment-137 Craig Allen Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:45:44 +0000 http://www.balance-and-results.com/?p=252#comment-137 Hi Dave, As Peter Drucker said in The Effective Executive, it is "Barbarian arrogance" for a specialist not to take responsibility for making himself understood. And (I'll use an "and" here!) it's the specialist who probably suffers most! Ignorance can be bliss - and those who "don't know what they don't know" just move on. It is the silo'd specialist who is left behind. Hi Dave,

As Peter Drucker said in The Effective Executive, it is “Barbarian arrogance” for a specialist not to take responsibility for making himself understood.

And (I’ll use an “and” here!) it’s the specialist who probably suffers most! Ignorance can be bliss – and those who “don’t know what they don’t know” just move on. It is the silo’d specialist who is left behind.

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