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Your next steps to successfully improving your business acumen

Research shows that the most successful HR Professionals are able to link HR practices and policies to the needs of the business, communicating them in a way that business managers are able to understand and relate to their teams and needs. This ability to talk the language of the business and match their HR skills and knowledge to business needs builds their credibility which enables them to influence the way people are managed as well as implement HR strategies which are aligned with organisational objectives.

The first blog on business acumen outlined what high performing HR Professionals do and how they think; the second on how you can implement a five step plan to improve your business acumen skills.

Here are a few hints and tips as to what you can do immediately to enhance your business acumen skills:

  • Spend more time and effort finding out about your organisation
  • Explore how you can become more proactive and strategic in your understanding and application of business acumen
  • Focus your effort on understanding the practical people implications of your organisation’s strategy and what it means for your HR
  • Work more closely with your organisational leaders to ensure the People and HR strategies are continuously aligned
  • Explore how you can become more involved in working on specific HR initiatives which are explicitly linked to your organisation’s needs
  • Work more closely with your organisational leaders and your HR colleagues who are competent in business acumen so you can observe, listen and see it in practice.
  • Take more risks by challenging assumptions and established approaches and by asking “what if…?” questions
  • Support others in your HR community to develop their business acumen

To find out how CourageousHR can support the development of your HR Function please email [email protected] to arrange a call to discuss your specific development needs.