Inetta Rogers, SHRM-CP, is bi-vocational: She works in both HR and ministry.
“I have been able to serve in both capacities without one competing against the other, creating a balance that allows me to enjoy every day of my work,” says Rogers, who was the talent management director for The Salvation Army’s Memphis Area Command for the past six years before striking out on her own in January.
In addition to her HR work, she is president of the Memphis Inter-Denominational Fellowship Inc., a Christian nonprofit that works with community youth. She considers her greatest accomplishment to be helping people enter the workforce for the first time or return to work after time away.
Rogers joined the Society for Human Resource Management in 1982 and has served in several positions at the chapter and state levels. She recently received the Memphis Business Journal’s 2018 HR Impact Award for nonprofits.
What obstacles have you overcome to get where you are today?
No job is without challenges. I once worked in an appointed position and wasn’t reappointed after a new leader joined the organization. But it didn’t deter me. I completed a Master of Divinity program and worked for The Salvation Army, an international faith-based organization, where my second master’s degree was embraced.
What’s your work philosophy?
“Walk worthy of your vocation” is my mantra. Over 39 years of working in HR, I can’t recall a day I didn’t want to go to work. I faced each day with thanksgiving and integrity, believing that God was blessing the work of my hands.
What’s your favorite business book?
The Advantage (Jossey-Bass, 2012) by Patrick Lencioni. At The Salvation Army, colleagues and I read the book and gained a better understanding of the importance of organizational health. We began to see results as we more deliberately tapped into our intellectual capital, financial capital and physical capital, and the skills and talents of our employees. The book also has helped me play a stronger strategic role in selecting and developing talent.
Photograph by Marci Lambert.
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