Name:  Randy Zimmerman
Title:  Associate HR Director
Company:  Cooper Industries – Wiring Devices division

1.  How many years have you been working in HR? 10

2.  Favorite thing about working in HR? More so than any other function, it lends itself to partnering with leaders from various functional disciplines, learning the business from multiple perspectives, and having a broad impact on the organization.

3.  Best piece of advice you ever received about a career in HR? In order to be successful in HR, especially as you move into larger leadership roles, you have to be comfortable dealing with ambiguity. 

Employment lawyers often say “No good deed goes unpunished.” We don’t mean you shouldn’t do “good deeds” to help, respect, thank, and reward employees and build stronger relationships. “Good deeds” are the right thing to do.  However, if not done thoughtfully, “good deeds” can cause unexpected “punishment.” Let’s take a simple example.