Peter Steinmeyer, a Member of the Firm in the Labor and Employment practice and the Chicago office Managing Shareholder, wrote an article titled "True HR Leadership: Standing Firmly In The Right Place."
Following is an excerpt:
Abraham Lincoln once said, "All through life, be sure and put your feet in the right place, and then stand firm." While his advice was certainly not directed to a multitasking, BlackBerry-wielding, PowerPointing modern HR professional, Lincoln's words nevertheless summarize what the best HR leadership is about: defining, exemplifying, and applying a company's core values.
Even a full-time employment lawyer will struggle to stay on top of the latest laws and regulations, but an HR professional who follows an inherent sense of fairness will instinctively do the right thing. And by consistently doing the right thing, and teaching others to do the same, he or she will help to create a trusting environment where people want to work, succeed, and help others do the same.
