This module discusses the importance of human resources (HR) management in an organization. Successful HR managers attract and hire the best employees, equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to excel, compensate them fairly, and motivate them to reach their full potential and perform at high levels.

One of the qualities HR managers look for when hiring new employees is leadership skills. These skills are particularly important in management positions. Leadership cannot be defined by a single formula. Successful leaders combine their talents, expertise, and charisma to get people to work toward achieving their goals and the goals of their organization.

Let's say Amazon is expanding its operations in New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona and is conducting a search for a Southwestern Regional Manager operating out of new offices in Phoenix. The challenge for the new manager involves all the four key elements of management (planning, organizing, leading, and controlling). The HR department is interviewing potential candidates and asking the candidates to outline how they would implement the new operations center. The Amazon mission statement says, "Our vision is to be earth's most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online."

Now let's say you are a candidate for the manager position. During the interview process, you are asked about your ideas for the implementation of the new location. What would you say?

The following questions are offered to stimulate your thinking:

• Planning: What are the most important start-up issues? What decisions would have to be made during the planning process?
• Organizing: What type of organization would you propose? Explain why that type of organization would be most effective.
• Leading: What kind of leadership style would you use? Explain why that type of leadership style would be effective in motivating employees.
• Control: What kind of quality control program(s) would you recommend be put in place at the new location? Why?