Well I suppose that depends if you are an HR fluffy, an HR tactician, or an HR Leader…

I am actually tired of hearing HR folks talk as though they deserve a spot at the table, but have yet to do anything that demonstrates that they have something to actually add at the table.  Should HR be aware of the plans and decisions that are being made at the table?  Well, yes, absolutely, as there will likely be impacts from those decisions that will require execution from your good old HR team.  However, until HR professionals stand up and actually know their organization, their clients and their industry and can add value in a meaningful and strategic way, why should HR be at the table?

If you think you deserve a spot at the table as an HR leader, ask yourself the following questions:  Does your HR achieve deliverables that help drive success of your organization?  Does HR provide insight to leadership that not only demonstrates a support for the values of the organization, but also demonstrates support for the objectives of the organization?  Does HR provide meaningful feedback to decisions or ideas and makes them better, instead of whining about why it won’t work, or why we shouldn’t do it?  Does your HR team seek to pacify employees, or does your HR team engage employees to embrace the vision of the organization?  Do you know the vision of your organization?  Does HR embrace concepts like employee engagement or best HR practices to simply look good, or to actually drive organizational results?

Until HR professionals really embrace the thought of maximizing the resources of the people of the organization to achieve results for the organization (whatever success may be), they should not have a spot at the table!  For those of you concerned about not having a spot at the table, start by demonstrating that your HR team cares not only about the professional health of the people there (which is critically important), but that your HR team also cares about the performance of the organization.  This is the powerful and necessary step that many HR professionals have taken to earn their spot at the executive table.

For more thoughts on our approach of the HR function, or for more information on Leadership & Development, check out our Intentional People Leadership Training course here.