{"id":1552,"date":"2019-08-27T13:26:30","date_gmt":"2019-08-27T03:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-au\/blog\/?p=1552"},"modified":"2026-04-30T00:19:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T14:19:31","slug":"habits-of-successful-hr-people-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-au\/blog\/habits-of-successful-hr-people-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"9 habits of highly successful HR and People leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLeading people<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t9 habits of highly successful HR and People leaders\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\tLuke Thomas<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re all creatures of habit. However, how do we know we have the right habits to help us thrive as HR and People leaders?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With valuable nuggets from Facebook to Ford Motor Company, let\u2019s take a look at the habits the most highly effective HR and People leaders practice day-to-day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. They don\u2019t shy away from taking risks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When Facebook\u2019s Head of HR Lori Goler<\/a> was initially offered the role, she turned it down. \u201cI didn\u2019t think I had enough experience,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSheryl Sandberg then called me and said: \u2018No man would ever turn down more responsibility because they don\u2019t have the experience.\u2019 It just struck me that is the \u2018lean-in moment\u2019. That\u2019s the moment when you go for something you don\u2019t think you can otherwise do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you have the ambition, don\u2019t hold yourself back. Lean in to it\u2014look for ways you can learn and grow. Take those opportunities and risks in your career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Free research report: The changing face of HR<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Seismic shifts in the way organisations operate, work, and manage their people are occurring. We surveyed 500+ HR leaders to discover how they are responding.<\/p>\n

Uncover insights on how to stay ahead and transform HR from a process focused function to a people driven business.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload Report<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. They always put their people first<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Australian employees say work-life balance is what matters most to them, topping health, life satisfaction and safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether it\u2019s avoiding burnout or boosting workplace productivity, creating a great work-life balance has significant benefits<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could a top-notch work-life balance even have a positive effect on the way managers lead their teams?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Stewart Friedman, absolutely. Professor at Wharton University and Worldwide Head of Leadership at Ford Motor Company, he will be sharing his experience at the 2019 Australian HR Institute (AHRI) national convention and exhibition, taking place in Brisbane from 16-19 September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Ford, Friedman led a program called \u2018Total Leadership\u2019<\/a>, set out to improve leadership abilities by increasing peace and harmony in leaders\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his session, you can find out how this proven method works, what it takes to create a better balance, and how you can use this approach for your personal development or to support managers within your organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. They embrace change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like a plane making slight adjustments to its course in order to stay on track, HR and People leaders need to continually assess how their strategy can be revised and updated\u2014and then push for that change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHR leaders need to be continually assessing information to determine whether to continue or alter the course of a project,\u201d says Holly Burkett<\/a>, Innovation and Performance Consultant at Evaluation Works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe also have a responsibility to step up and embrace our role as change agents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. They keep up with technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Successful HR and People leaders know that technology and innovation will accelerate exponentially. So, for HR and People teams, understanding their organisation\u2019s technology strategy has never been so important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at the AHRI national convention and exhibition, Stephen Scheeler, former Facebook CEO for Australia and New Zealand, current Senior Advisor to McKinsey and Company, and Founder of global advisory The Digital CEO, will explain how digital experience and skills will have a pivotal role in leadership going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019ll share how you can digitise your leadership style and help other leaders do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. They\u2019re always listening<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Too often leaders rise to the top and lose touch with what\u2019s happening on the shop floor. They build a great team and then let things run themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angela Nguyen, Vice President, HR and Talent Management at Ad Exchange Group explains: \u201cListening is our biggest advantage. Effective HR leaders never rest on their laurels because they understand that business operations and innovation don\u2019t wait around for the complacent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. They stay grounded<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easy in the midst of policies, procedures and initiatives to forget the \u2018human\u2019 element,\u201d says Rohit Paul from Academy for Urban School Leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEarly on in my career, I was surprised to find out that our director made every member of our team, regardless of title, log into the HR hotline and assist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHer agenda was simple: you learn the impact of the work you do when you connect with the people who are affected by it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. They treat their staff well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are you winning the war for talent?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winning goes beyond just hiring the best people. It\u2019s about offering them what they need so your organisation\u2019s not just attracting but engaging and retaining top talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flexible working is just one trend that sets companies apart in attracting the best. 80% of employees Sage polled placed importance and value on flexibility, so it\u2019s no wonder 54% of people<\/a> are willing to move jobs to work for a flexible employer.<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, less than half<\/a> of non-shift working Australians feel they have a say in the hours they work. That\u2019s significantly less than other countries, such as the UK where just 6% of employees still work 9-5<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at the AHRI national convention and exhibition, Robin Boomer, Senior Executive Advisor at global research and advisory firm Gartner, will explain the most effective ways to attract and keep top talent, including recent workforce trends and the role they play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019ll also reveal how you can prepare your organisation and HR team for technological and demographic changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. They use data to inform decision making<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Truly data-driven HR focuses analytics on the goal of adding value and driving performance across the organisation\u2014all the time, not just every now and then, or on specific projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As HR and People leaders scale and build their teams to meet the demands of the business, they\u2019ll increasingly need data insights at their fingertips to drive decision making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. They look to the future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t get caught up in the idea the future is yet to come. As Dom Price will explain in his session at the AHRI national convention and exhibition, it\u2019s already here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Head of Research and Development and Work Futurist at Atlassian will explain that the future of work will depend on overcoming present challenges like scaling and disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Price will share the five \u2018obsolete\u2019 ways many of us work, with new approaches HR and People teams can take, all underpinned with real life examples. Price will also share some of the collaboration hacks he\u2019s found over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Free research report: The changing face of HR<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Seismic shifts in the way organisations operate, work, and manage their people are occurring. We surveyed 500+ HR leaders to discover how they are responding.<\/p>\n

Uncover insights on how to stay ahead and transform HR from a process focused function to a people driven business.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload Report<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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