How working strategically with charities can help develop more effective HR professionals
When Steve Bright, director of international HR at US security firm Northrop Grumman Corporation – which has a global workforce of 67,000 – decided to invest some time in his personal development, he didn’t turn to the traditional leadership courses or management ‘self help’ books. Since 2009, he’s been working with Pilotlight, which pairs charities with ambitious leaders who can help them reach their full strategic potential – and has transformed his HR practice as a result.
“I wanted to develop skills to enable me to perhaps become a non-executive director later in my career, but it was equally about wanting to give back,” says Bright. He heard about Pilotlight from a fellow HR professional when they were discussing career progression. “I was immediately attracted by what they did; not only because I could see how the experience could meet my own interests, but because I’d never come across anything like it,” he says.
Bright has worked with a huge variety of charities over the last seven years, but he is most proud of his work with Horden Youth & Community Centre (HYCC) – a Durham-based organisation that connects locals with social activities, clubs and courses. He helped HYCC define its governance strategy and processes – including recruiting trustees – as well as helping to create new youth services.
“We needed that extra insight,” says HYCC’s manager, Steve Clark. “Pilotlight’s support has been invaluable – they’re fantastic mentors. They’ve helped us become much more strategic in our approach to challenges.”
Not only has he been giving back to the local community, Bright’s experiences have strengthened his questioning, listening and diagnosing skills, and helped him refrain from “rushing to be prescriptive”. And he believes that volunteering has improved his leadership skills: “HR gains its best results when it is not telling but leading businesses to a conclusion, by asking key questions through advising and consulting.”
The partnership also helps Bright put the daily stresses and strains of the HR world into greater perspective. “A lot of the problems small charities wrestle with are far more critical; it could not only go out of business, but those who depend on it could be badly affected,” he says.
Two of Bright’s fellow HR practitioners at Northrop Grumman have also teamed up with Pilotlight to boost their personal development. “It’s been a truly transformative experience for me,” says Bright. “I couldn’t imagine not working with them now.”