What Senior HR Leaders Need to Know | We Know Next | SHRM

Beginning in March 2009, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted
a poll among HR professionals in the United States, Canada, India, the Middle East and North
Africa about the most important competencies—defined as knowledge, skills, abilities and
other qualities—for senior HR leaders. SHRM partnered with the Canadian Council of Human
Resources Associations (CCHRA) to collect poll data in Canada through eight of its nine
provincial associations. SHRM India, a wholly owned subsidiary of SHRM, organized data
collection among HR professionals in India. Poll participants were presented with a list of 18
important competencies for senior HR leaders, as identified through recent SHRM qualitative
research with HR leaders and members of the academic community. From this list, poll
respondents were asked to identify the top five competencies for senior HR leaders in general,
weigh in on how those competencies may change in importance five years into the future and
share their opinions about the extent to which the top competencies can be cultivated. Further,
respondents were asked about competencies needed for HR leadership roles within global
organizations and during times of economic crisis. This executive summary presents an analysis of
the 2009 HR Leadership Competencies Poll results and examines differences among countries
in beliefs about the qualities required of the most successful senior HR leaders.

HR Leadership Competencies Exec. Summary-FNL.pdf