Anastasia Mizitova, SHRM-SCP, CPCC

Emotional intelligence is crucial in HR, a field inherently charged with emotion. From addressing employee concerns to navigating corporate politics, building personal credibility, and managing crises, HR professionals face constant emotional challenges. A key strategy is to be kind to yourself during emotional turmoil - you can only help others if you take care of yourself first. And also have genuine compassion - you never know what other people are going through. Deep emotions are frequently a covered cry for help and understanding. Be kind, breathe and get to the bottom of the problem. You can do it

Considering a career in HR? Now's the perfect time! The field is expanding, with HR's influence becoming increasingly crucial. Start by exploring the SHRM BASK (Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge) competency model - a free, comprehensive roadmap for HR professionals. Simply google it to have an overview of everything you need to know in HR. Also google HR vacancies to see what capabilities and skills are expected and in demand. And of course, talk to HR professionals to understand the real priorities and challenges in the HR profession. Good luck with your career move!

One of my coaching clients, a brilliant CEO, was new in her team. The team was very defensive and suspicious of a new top person. She summoned all the senior leaders and invited them to have the doubts out in the open. She was very explicit about her intention to build a team despite the obstacles. She was brave, vulnerable, and determined to act. And above all she was totally ready to listen. It was a rough start, and the journey had ups and downs. But she eventually gained robust trust and respect, and her team thrived. She taught them (and of course me) an incredible lesson - how to hold integrity, have a vision and connect with the people. It's the big leader who is the first to take a big step forward into the unknown to build trust

When it comes to change, you can be a victim or a survivor, and it applies to organizational change. A victim resents the change, the loss of their former position, the new skills and the uncertaintly. The survivor experiences the hardship, yet ultimately understands the meaning of the change, gets through it all, and empowers others. It all starts with the mindset and the willingness to embrace whatever is happening. Do not be afraid to change, grow into the "new normal" and shine your light to help other people who struggle. You might really like what you will become - your enhanced resilience, capabilities, skills, and increased empathy towards others

Have you added a new skill in your portfolio in the last 3 months? According to IBM, the half-life of general skills is now just a measly five years—and it's even worse for technical IT skills which is less than three. (a) Be INTENTIONAL about adding skills into your portfolio (b) Be BRAVE to try out skills beyond your reach (c) Be DIGITAL, try everyhting AI, tech and analytics

While developing a competency model for a global client, my team and I realized that capturing every crucial behavior and skill for an outstanding professional in this organization might be unfeasible. Rather than dedicating months to perfecting the model, we framed the significant behaviors in a straightforward visual and intentionally left one competency undefined. This invited organizational leaders to engage in a brainstorming session to identify and articulate additional qualities vital for business leaders within the company. The main takeaway is this: don’t aim for a flawless competency model. Instead, identify a few essential qualities and concentrate on actively cultivating and enhancing them.