Tony Holmwood's objective in writing BEST BEHAVIOUR was to present a professional development framework to assist managers and HR professionals in a transformational coaching role and help HR leadership regain their strategic authority. After 30 years of corporate experience he has found how leadership behaviour influences a proactive or reactive culture which significantly impacts on business outcomes. With the past trend for HR Outsourcing, HR professionals were generally assigned to a business partnering, employee watchdog role which reduced their authority and wasted an important opportunity as employee development took a backseat in organisational strategy. To be effective, HR needs to be trusted and respected by employees while HR representation on the company board would provide assurance HR has the authority and independence to act strategically. Companies that do not value employee development often extract value by focusing on cost reduction and outsourcing. As coaches, managers and HR can influence safe, secure, motivated workplace cultures encouraging experimentation, the development of important life skills, so employees can discover their self-value and find success in society while avoiding the pitfalls that job insecurity and self-doubt bring. The present level of community mistrust can be attributed to the underutilisation of the social right mind being the sole guardian of our purpose and self-truth, accessed through building trusting relationships. Truth cannot be fabricated; it is intrinsic to the individual and it is our social reward for respecting humanity and life's diversity. We need to create open, agile, trusting employee-centric cultures to encourage experiential learning. Development occurs when employees are urged to actively apply their strengths and with confidence step outside their comfort zones. Employees need to know only what objectives they must meet at any given stage. They must feel respected to accept the challenge and know what it means to grow and contribute with purpose. Leaders only need to define the opportunity, and through engaging storytelling, influence and inspire employees to extend themselves to meet objectives Holmwood's book is a well-reasoned treatise on the evolving role of the HR professional and the manager. At times the language becomes too analytical but that is expected of any management text. All in all, BEST BEHAVIOR is a comprehensive work bound to find favor with both the student and teacher
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