Doug, your article on the evolving role of WFM professionals as strategic business partners is outstanding. I completely agree—grasping the 'why' behind the data and speaking the language of the business are essential skills for driving meaningful impact.
Your concept of data-informed intuition is especially compelling. It highlights the critical balance between analytical rigor and human judgment in workforce decisions. One area that could further enrich the piece is a deeper dive into how WFM professionals can proactively build influence and trust across the organization—positioning themselves not just as problem-solvers, but as forward-thinking, value-driving leaders.
This is a timely and important contribution to the WFM community, helping elevate the profession toward greater strategic recognition.
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback... you've hit on something that's been central to my work across different companies. Your point about proactively building influence is spot on. I've found that WFM professionals often wait to be invited to strategic conversations, when they should be creating those opportunities. In my experience, the most successful transitions happen when we start treating ourselves as business consultants who happen to specialise in workforce dynamics, rather than workforce specialists trying to understand business.
I'm curious about your experience... have you seen specific tactics that work particularly well for building that proactive influence? The challenge seems to be demonstrating strategic value before you're given strategic opportunities.
Thanks for your thoughtful response, Doug. I couldn't agree more that WFM professionals need to create our own opportunities for strategic involvement rather than waiting for an invitation.
In my experience, several approaches have proven effective for building influence:
Getting involved in strategic projects has been a game-changer. When we participate in digital transformation or customer experience initiatives, we demonstrate our value in real time. Building genuine relationships with leaders across departments positions us as trusted partners rather than just support staff. These connections help us truly understand business challenges.
Demonstrating our strategic impact through concrete examples and metrics has worked wonders for my team. It helps others see our value beyond scheduling and staffing. Staying current with industry trends is essential too—it shows we're committed to bringing fresh thinking to the table.
However, translating operational successes into language that resonates with executives took me time to master.
These approaches have helped my team transition from operational support to strategic partners. I'd love to hear what tactics have worked for you.
Looking forward to seeing how we continue to elevate our profession together!
Doug, your article on the evolving role of WFM professionals as strategic business partners is outstanding. I completely agree—grasping the 'why' behind the data and speaking the language of the business are essential skills for driving meaningful impact.
Your concept of data-informed intuition is especially compelling. It highlights the critical balance between analytical rigor and human judgment in workforce decisions. One area that could further enrich the piece is a deeper dive into how WFM professionals can proactively build influence and trust across the organization—positioning themselves not just as problem-solvers, but as forward-thinking, value-driving leaders.
This is a timely and important contribution to the WFM community, helping elevate the profession toward greater strategic recognition.
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback... you've hit on something that's been central to my work across different companies. Your point about proactively building influence is spot on. I've found that WFM professionals often wait to be invited to strategic conversations, when they should be creating those opportunities. In my experience, the most successful transitions happen when we start treating ourselves as business consultants who happen to specialise in workforce dynamics, rather than workforce specialists trying to understand business.
I'm curious about your experience... have you seen specific tactics that work particularly well for building that proactive influence? The challenge seems to be demonstrating strategic value before you're given strategic opportunities.
Thanks for your thoughtful response, Doug. I couldn't agree more that WFM professionals need to create our own opportunities for strategic involvement rather than waiting for an invitation.
In my experience, several approaches have proven effective for building influence:
Getting involved in strategic projects has been a game-changer. When we participate in digital transformation or customer experience initiatives, we demonstrate our value in real time. Building genuine relationships with leaders across departments positions us as trusted partners rather than just support staff. These connections help us truly understand business challenges.
Demonstrating our strategic impact through concrete examples and metrics has worked wonders for my team. It helps others see our value beyond scheduling and staffing. Staying current with industry trends is essential too—it shows we're committed to bringing fresh thinking to the table.
However, translating operational successes into language that resonates with executives took me time to master.
These approaches have helped my team transition from operational support to strategic partners. I'd love to hear what tactics have worked for you.
Looking forward to seeing how we continue to elevate our profession together!