Three Steps Ahead: Change Agility emerges as defining capability for Chief Human Resources Officers

New research shows that human resources executives score particularly highly in a factor of Learning Agility that measures the ability to cope effectively with the discomfort of rapid change. In fact, HR executives score much higher on Change Agility assessments than other functional leaders or general management executives.

In the Korn/Ferry Institute white paper Three steps ahead: Change Agility emerges as defining capability for Chief Human Resources Officers, Kim Shanahan and George Atkinson of the Human Resources Center of Expertise explore how this talent illuminates how the best CHROs add value to an organization. They also suggest that Change Agility should be developed in any potential CHRO successors.

“The CHROs who succeed in their roles today are well aware that they constantly have new and important issues coming at them,” Hertz CHRO LeighAnne Baker told the authors. “People Agility remains extremely important. However, to be truly successful today, CHROs need to focus on change.”