This is an exciting and challenging time for ASHHRA. During the past year, we talked with colleagues across the country about the importance of Human Resources in today’s healthcare environment. We heard that there’s a clamoring for leadership in HR professionals. And, there’s a search for HR Leaders who can shape organizational culture, integrate human resources with business systems, and connect human capital measurement to the overall performance and success of an organization.

Responding to this call, ASHHRA appointed a Task Force on HR Competencies chaired by Robert G. Riney of Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan. In the fall of 2003, he invited colleagues from diverse backgrounds to engage in a dialogue about the opportunity for change. Out of their concerns and innovative responses, an initiative and model for leadership emerged.

At ASHHRA's annual conference in July, 2004, the Task Force premiered “The Anatomy of an HR Leader” – establishing the realities in healthcare HR, initiating the dialogue and setting the stage for action. We asked our audience of almost 600 healthcare professionals: “How interested are you in positioning yourself for more responsibility and influence within your organization?” Their response: a resounding 85% declared strong interest. To act on these leadership challenges, they also told us what they needed from ASHHRA to prepare them for “The New Role of HR Leadership.”

ASHHRA’s responsibility now is to help HR professionals embark on this leadership path by providing them with the means to assess and bridge the gaps in their knowledge and skills. To support this effort, a Steering Committee for ASHHRA’s HR Leadership Initiative, chaired by Mr. Riney, has been formed as an advisory council to three different work groups.

Work Group I: Outreach and Collaboration – responsible for connecting with key audiences and partners through surveys, focus groups, electronic discussion groups and presentations. Chaired by Jane Groves, Managing Senior Vice President, MSA Executive Search, Clark Consulting Healthcare Group, Kansas City, Missouri.

Work Group II: Products and Resources – charged with refining ASHHRA’s HR Leader Model, developing an assessment tool, and disseminating resources in support of the model. Chaired by Daniel L. Zuhlke, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness, St. John Health, Detroit, Michigan.

Work Group III: Learning and Development – responsible for creating learning opportunities through online learning, conferences and other forums for the exchange of new information and ideas. Chaired by Laura Avakian, Vice President for Human Resources, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts.