Preface
If you are a CEO, how would you rate the impact of your current HR department on business results relative to other key functions? The answer should be that they have a very similar impact. I’ve had the good fortune of working with a number of CEOs in rapidly growing companies who believed that if HR were run differently it could really drive measurable business results. That conviction allowed me to take on a larger mandate, to elevate the importance and breadth of HR.
Totally reinventing HR was not the game plan when setting out to write this book. As with many of us, my approach is the culmination of experiences over the course of my career. I’ve chosen to apply many well-worked out concepts from marketing in HR. Both CEOs and venture capitalists immediately see the parallels between the Chief Marketing Officer and the Chief People Officer—that’s what led to the term “the CMO of People.” They like the concept; intuitively it feels right to them and they know how they could activate it for results.
There is great interest in enhancing the employee experience and bringing other marketing ideas into HR. What I hope makes this book both fresh and useful is that the ideas here have been fully deployed in three organizations. The book is designed to provide the reader with the definition of a concept, its application, and then practical steps to implementation. The two global HR leaders who had a chance to preview the book said the same thing, that it was incredibly practical, that it showed them how to create a predictable, immersive employee experience that leads to productivity and performance. I’d like to think that’s true, it was certainly the intent.
I’ve got to say that this approach isn’t for everyone, nor is it the only way people have re-conceptualized the role of HR. I do think the ideas are nicely compatible with what I’ve heard from thought leaders like John Boudreau and Dave Ulrich. Furthermore, even if you can’t bring the whole CMO-of-People approach into your organization, then there will still be parts of the book that will inspire you and that you can make use of.
This book was written for four audiences:
- Business leaders who know HR should have a bigger impact
- HR leaders who are looking for a road map to raise HR to the next level
- Consultants who are intrigued by the analogy to marketing and are looking for some grounding in what has worked in practice
- Young HR professionals who have the ambition to change the world
Comment on Our Use of Pronouns
This book flows from Peter Navin’s experience leading HR at Shutterfly, DocuSign, and Grand Rounds. Since the book is based mainly on Peter’s ideas and experiences we use “I” as the pronoun throughout. Whenever a concept is mentioned rest assured that it is endorsed by both authors.
Pick up the book and get started.
Peter Navin