Interview Project - Human Resource Management

Thus far in GS500 Managers as Leaders Course, so much for me has been learned and discovered as it relates to my strengths and weaknesses in leadership abilities as well as management styles. It has been very eye-opening as well as self-reflective as I begin to plan and execute to transition into a new role and career of Human Resources upon complete of my Masters Program.

Human resource management (HRM), or human resource development, entails planning, implementing, and managing recruitment, as well as selection, training, career, and organizational development initiatives within an organization (Human Resource Management. New York: Free Press, 1985). The goal of HRM is to maximize the productivity of an organization by optimizing the effectiveness of its employees while simultaneously improving the work life of employees and treating employees as valuable resources. Consequently, HRM encompasses efforts to promote personal development, employee satisfaction, and compliance with employment-related laws.

To achieve equilibrium between employer and employee goals and needs, HRM departments focus on these three general functions or activities: planning, implementation, and evaluation. The planning function refers to the development of human resource policies and regulations. Human resource managers attempt to determine future HRM activities and plan for the implementation of HRM procedures to help companies realize their goals.

To better assist me in understanding the above traits and characteristics of an HRM, it was requested and required that I complete what is called the Personal Competency Assessment Matrix. This process is an exercise that has been completed by many managers in preparing their development plans. Some managers even use it when determining when it's time to make a career move. The matrix is designed to determine what current and new skills you currently have and new ones to focus on or to develop (Kaplan University Graduate Online School, 2011). Upon completing my matrix, it was discovered that I currently have several core capabilities and competencies that are not only relative to my current position but that are truly related in transitioning me into the HRM role. As previously stated, the HRM should possess the following competencies to ensure success:

* Entails planning and evaluation

* Implementing processes

* Managing and recruitment

* Training

* Career Development of Employees

* Develop initiatives within an organization

After careful review of my matrix, the above competencies mentioned are highly possessed in my current role displaying smooth future transition into an HRM position. Along with the listed above competencies, other areas that would be beneficial that I show highly skilled in that are also related to the HRM role are the following:

* Managing Diversity: It is vitally important that when working in the HRM role, that you understand that you will be working with a very diverse mix of people not just from a stand point of race, but from a stand point of views, various leadership and management styles and various industry experience. Understanding how to work and relate to each individual where they are in their current career and role is very important to ensure overall individual success and total company success.

* Ethics and Values: This is another area that showed me to be highly skilled in and really is important to the HRM position. In the role on a daily bases, you are not only teaching but displaying the companies beliefs in this area and encouraging all employees to adopt them in what they do daily for the organization of which you serve. Without this key trait, many HRM's really will not gain the support of fellow employees or upper management in order to ensure their individual success in the HR function (Beer, Michael, et al. Human Resources Management. New York: Free Press, 1985).

* Action Oriented: Being able to ensure that you are action oriented is very important. As an HRM, you are always expected to be a visionary leaders and it requires you to be pro-active at all times and not reactionary. You are expected to be the person who can operate in a reasonable fashion, thinking clearly at all times with actual solid solutions in a timely fashion. If you lack this skill, a person in this role will find many compounded issues that we begin to become quite difficult to solve in a timely fashion (Michael M. Lombardo & Robert W. Eichinger, FYI For Your Improvement, A Guide for Development and Coaching, 5th Edition, 2011).

The Competency Assessment Matrix wasn't designed to just point out the positive competencies that one possess, but it also shows areas that need improvements and are in the developing stage as well. This is important to identify and to know so that one can have a clear understanding of where the weaknesses are and what will need to be done to improve them. According to my Matrix, it showed several developing areas that need developed and improved upon but the following (4) four areas are main gaps to be developed that are relevant for the HRM role are the most important (Robert Heller & Tim Hindler, Essential Manager's Manual, 1998). They are the following:

* Comfort around Upper-Management: This