HR Pulse - Spring 2009 - (Page 18) [HR LEADER] When asked what advice he has for HR professionals at a more junior level who want to demonstrate leadership in their roles, the 25-year veteran emphasizes self-development—particularly in the area of business knowledge. “We’re always talking about wanting a seat ‘at the table’ where strategic decisions are made. The only way to get invited to the table is to keep learning and constantly develop yourself,” says Abercrombie. “Be an HR expert, yes, but learn about your organization’s operations so you truly understand the issues senior management faces. Then bring your HR knowledge to bear in helping find solutions to business challenges.” He points to the myriad of educational opportunities that ASHHRA offers as one obvious avenue for professional development. Abercrombie also believes the strong linkage between ASHHRA and AHA facilitates the collaboration that HR professionals need with the operations side of the business. “The average HR person is already overworked and feels like there is no spare minute in a day, I know. But it is so vitally important to get involved at both the state and federal level so that our voice is heard before laws are enacted.” Gain access to over 6,000 nurse leaders. We know that recruiting the most qualified nurse leader is no small task. Doesn’t it make sense to tap into the nation’s leading organization for nurse leaders? “That linkage provides an instant entrée for you to the executive suite,” he explains. A Zeal for Advocacy Abercrombie has chaired the ASHHRA advocacy committee for the last two years; it’s a role he was interested in from the moment he became a member. Before moving into health care, he was actively involved in advocacy matters, serving on the national labor and legislative committee at the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). “A few years ago, I felt a strong call to advocacy. I really believed that the voices of HR professionals were not being heard by legislators and policymakers, so I got to work at SHRM helping to mobilize people. When I joined ASHHRA, I was still passionate about it, and one of the first things I did was seek out (then advocacy committee chair) Jeff Payne,” he explains. Health care reform issues present ideal opportunities for HR professionals to demonstrate their expertise, according to Abercrombie. “The average HR person is already overworked and feels like there is no spare minute in a day, I know. But it is so vitally important to get involved at both the state and federal level so that our voice is heard before laws are enacted. We want to help shape the future of health care rather than react to changes. We cannot just leave it to the government affairs people; we need to do our part by being advocates for patients, employees and our organizations,” he says. ■ For more than 40 years, the American Organization of Nurse Leaders (AONE) has been the premiere national organization of over 6,000 nurse leaders who share one vision - to shape the future of health care through innovative nursing leadership. AONE’s membership represents the top levels of nursing leadership, including: • • • • • • • • Chief Nursing Officer/Chief Nurse Executive Vice President of Nursing and Patient Care Services Director of Nursing Director of Emergency Services, Critical Care Services and other clinical departments Director of Professional Practice Nurse Manager Nurse Consultant And other nursing leadership professionals Advertising your nursing leadership positions on the AONE Online Career Center brings you more than unparalleled visibility.You also gain access to an exhaustive resume database, advanced search tools, and the opportunity to list positions in AONE’s weekly electronic newsletter. Visit us online today to find out about our competitive rates and packages. www.aone.org 18 HR Pulse 384745_American.indd 1 Spring 2009 6/9/08 4:24:12 PM http://www.aone.org/aone/edandcareer/career_center.html
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