Many organizations' boards of directors and executive teams are increasingly led by HR leaders who serve as advisors. HR is responsible for the single biggest expense in the organization - its people. Who hires the people? Trains and develops them? Compensates? Rewards? If we don't have people who have the right KSAO, the right attitude, the right motivation, then all the best laid strategies in the world will not work. People make or break your business. In today's most successful companies, the CHRO is an integral member of the strategic leadership team. HR was originally constructed as an administration and risk mitigation team, with a strong focus on regulatory compliance. However, today's businesses require far more from HR. Why? An HR team can lay claim to increasing market share, growing the customer base, driving product innovation, increasing sales, and helping the company be more agile, among other accomplishments. How? By understanding the vision, mission, strategy, and tactics and then hiring the best, making them better, and retaining them. People are the competitive advantage, period. But getting to this stage requires HR leaders to change the way they think about their work and their skill set. The most successful HR leaders are able to link people programs to business results and engage other leaders to achieve those goals. They think of themselves as driving business results through people so any key people initiatives they undertake support a documented business goal. Comments anyone?