Are You An HR Guru?

The other day a memory popped into my head that got me thinking. The memory was of my first job in HR as an Employment/Employee Relations Specialist. I was reviewing resumes for an HR role and I came across one that said “HR Guru.” Now that’s something you don’t hear every day and it immediately caught my attention. At the time it didn't mean much to me, but now it makes sense.

When I searched the term "guru", Merriam-Webster quickly popped up and defined it as “a teacher and especially intellectual guide in matters of fundamental concern.” And that’s when the light bulb exploded above my head! We all should be “HR Gurus.”

Being passionate about HR isn't always enough. We have to be teachers of HR, not just to our fellow HR professionals, but to our employees, our managers, and our executive leadership. Everything that we do as HR professionals are matters of fundamental concern—everything we do involves people and we need people to get the work done and help us execute business goals.

HR is an intellectual profession. It requires sharp skills in planning, relationship-building, strategy, communications, etc. We have to illustrate thought-leadership, innovation, and creativity in order to meet the business needs of today and tomorrow. This isn't something that comes naturally to everyone in the workforce, but something we have to teach, live, breathe, and share. Technology may have increased the speed at which we work, but it’s the intellectual capital that is the true competitive edge.

So, I ask you…Are you an HR guru? If not, when do you want to start?

Written by Jeremy York
​jeremy@invigoratehr.com

---