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The 9 Faces of HR: A Disruptor's Guide to Mastering Innovation and Driving Real Change
Popular blogger and CHRO Kris Dunn presents a hard, but compelling reality: every HR professional on the planet can be classified as one of 9 “Faces” based on your career level and your ability to innovate and drive change. The book opens with a behavioral assessment, so readers can quickly identify their own “HR Face” then reveals career tracks, behavioral
markers, ROI, macro-trends driving behavior, and market demand for each face. Which face are you? Which one do you want to be? Whether you’re a solo HR pro trying to make your way in the world or an HR leader trying to build a cohesive HR team, this is your no-BS playbook to empowering your HR career and elevating our profession.
markers, ROI, macro-trends driving behavior, and market demand for each face. Which face are you? Which one do you want to be? Whether you’re a solo HR pro trying to make your way in the world or an HR leader trying to build a cohesive HR team, this is your no-BS playbook to empowering your HR career and elevating our profession.
224 pages, Paperback
Published June 21, 2019
30 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 24, 2019
Get a seat at the table. Get strategic. Know the business. What does it really mean for HR pros in 2020 and beyond?
Kris Dunn just wrote a new book called “The 9 Faces of HR: A Disruptor’s Guide to Mastering Innovation and Driving Real Change” where he pitches a hard, yet compelling reality — that every HR professional on the planet can be classified as one of nine faces.
I loved it.
There are millions of HR pros, but only nine total “faces” or personas. Maximum. Some of these faces know the business, get strategic and find the seat. Others can’t.
The world needs all kinds of people, and Kris took a hard look at the HR landscape and profiled the “9 Faces of HR” pros in existence today. In his book, he tells stories of how people get stuff done and makes comparisons to pop culture icons in our society.
How does the 9-face system work? Kris uses a nine-box model characterized by two non-negotiable factors:
1. The career level and subject matter expertise held by the HR Pro in question and;
2. The HR pro’s capability towards adding real value and driving change in the organizations they serve.
Kris measures people based on factors such as cognitive speed, assertiveness, sensitivity, and detail-orientation. The result? HR pros with the same career experience and subject matter expertise occupy radically different faces. One HR professional can easily be designated a “Judge”, while another HR pro with a similar career level and subject matter expertise is tagged an “Assassin.”
In addition to breaking down each of the 9 Faces of HR, Kris describes the career tracks and behavioral markers for each face. He also outlines macro-trends that are driving the market demand for each face. Finally, he tells you how you might be able to change your persona if you’re assigned to a box that doesn’t feel right to you.
Which face are you? Which one do you want to be? Pick up a copy of “The 9 Faces of HR: A Disruptor’s Guide to Mastering Innovation and Driving Real Change” for yourself or your CHRO. It’s the hottest professional development book for HR pros in 2019. Learn more about the HR pros you love and some of the ones you don’t.
Kris Dunn just wrote a new book called “The 9 Faces of HR: A Disruptor’s Guide to Mastering Innovation and Driving Real Change” where he pitches a hard, yet compelling reality — that every HR professional on the planet can be classified as one of nine faces.
I loved it.
There are millions of HR pros, but only nine total “faces” or personas. Maximum. Some of these faces know the business, get strategic and find the seat. Others can’t.
The world needs all kinds of people, and Kris took a hard look at the HR landscape and profiled the “9 Faces of HR” pros in existence today. In his book, he tells stories of how people get stuff done and makes comparisons to pop culture icons in our society.
How does the 9-face system work? Kris uses a nine-box model characterized by two non-negotiable factors:
1. The career level and subject matter expertise held by the HR Pro in question and;
2. The HR pro’s capability towards adding real value and driving change in the organizations they serve.
Kris measures people based on factors such as cognitive speed, assertiveness, sensitivity, and detail-orientation. The result? HR pros with the same career experience and subject matter expertise occupy radically different faces. One HR professional can easily be designated a “Judge”, while another HR pro with a similar career level and subject matter expertise is tagged an “Assassin.”
In addition to breaking down each of the 9 Faces of HR, Kris describes the career tracks and behavioral markers for each face. He also outlines macro-trends that are driving the market demand for each face. Finally, he tells you how you might be able to change your persona if you’re assigned to a box that doesn’t feel right to you.
Which face are you? Which one do you want to be? Pick up a copy of “The 9 Faces of HR: A Disruptor’s Guide to Mastering Innovation and Driving Real Change” for yourself or your CHRO. It’s the hottest professional development book for HR pros in 2019. Learn more about the HR pros you love and some of the ones you don’t.
April 30, 2025
So not a non-fiction girlie - had to read for work - mission accomplished!
May 15, 2022
A real gem! Highly recommended to HR professionals at all level… finished in a day! 👍🏼
April 9, 2021
Loved this enneagram style book about HR. Even though I’m not in a full HR position, I do have some of these responsibilities, so it was fun to learn about what I do well and what I need to improve upon. I’d recommend to any HR professional.
February 28, 2022
Nice mapping of profiles but the sense of humor is not understandable for people outside the US !
December 28, 2024
always a treat to read during performance review season and when you start a new job #assassin
February 19, 2020
Kris offers a fresh and direct look into the various personas that all HR leaders fall into. If you haven't been able to watch him present, participated in one of his training, or had the ability to chat with him one and one, definitely pick up this book and gain some insight on the best ways to navigate the corporate HR waters!
June 9, 2020
A fun, fast paced map of the world of Human Resources that emphasizes the need to understand your role and responsibilities within it. A straight talking "You are Here" sign with clearly marked lines that can take your career (and sanity) to your next position.
October 6, 2019
Good HR stuff.
Among the best and most relevant HR books ever. I’m an FOT fan so that drew me in but I stayed for the content. Great common sense tips for the individual HR practitioner but especially for managers of HR. It would be nice to say I’m a mentor, but I’m pretty sure I’m an assassin.
Among the best and most relevant HR books ever. I’m an FOT fan so that drew me in but I stayed for the content. Great common sense tips for the individual HR practitioner but especially for managers of HR. It would be nice to say I’m a mentor, but I’m pretty sure I’m an assassin.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews