Today's most successful companies look for their leaders to be active business partners, regardless of their actual title. However, moving beyond a focus on your area of expertise to a more comprehensive business leadership role can be daunting.
Additionally, when it comes to careers, people never plan to fail, but many fail to plan. Their careers seem to go on autopilot or they don't have a specific destination as a target. This interactive presentation will guide the attendees through the process of planning for and becoming a safety business partner.
Although instructional to all levels, this paper will focus on the professional who is already in a role that is responsible for the entirety of a safety or EHS function on a site, region or corporate level and is seeking to move their career to a full business impact position. We will cover: What is a business partner and why do companies seek them over functional managers for leadership roles? What makes a business partner different than a manager/director? And finally: How to get there?
Why Do Companies Seek Business Partners over Managers for Leadership Roles?
EHS professionals who can demonstrate business acumen can help design a strategic plan that balances the needs of the organization, its employees, and other stakeholders with that of Safety. It can help align the efforts of the various functions in the organization with the plan's strategic goals. The key phrase at the beginning is "business acumen." "Business Acumen," in its most basic definition, means that you comprehend and see beyond the confines of your fiefdom and are focused on the success of the business as a whole.
