Human Resources category winner Rustin Richburg/Accenture

Born and brought up on a ranch in Texas, Rustin Richburg could have ended up selling tractors but for a pivotal moment when he was hired by Accenture. The agribusiness graduate made an instant connection with the interviewer, who grew up on a dairy farm.

Richburg, 34, then spent just over two years working in Houston. He subsequently left consultancy and moved to the other side of the desk, becoming a client and working in human resources for a start-up company in Seattle for about five years.

But he missed consultancy and working on projects in different environments as well as helping clients to find innovative ways to solve their business challenges. So he returned to Accenture, working for two years in Seattle then moving to London, where he is now senior manager in the talent and organisation performance group.

Working with people, Richburg must adapt to the cultures within different organisations — from public service clients such as a large police force to a consumer goods client that sells luxury spirits.

“Flexibility and being a bit of a chameleon” are the keys to his success, he says, while, first and foremost, being genuine.

His job involves understanding what motivates individuals and how they are relating to the problem or opportunity in front of them.

“That is the best way that you can work with them to be successful. You need to understand the particular individual and flex your style to meet their needs.”

Richburg’s Texan roots throw up sayings to which he keeps returning — “everyone puts on their trousers one leg at a time” and “everyone’s a human” . Consultancy work has also taught him about other sides of people. He has found that everyone wants to be successful in some way and that people want him to listen to what they are saying and use that to help them move forward.

While that first interview with Accenture was a central moment, a recent career highlight came when Richburg played his part in helping a new human resources service centre to become operational in London and America. Many people are counting on its success and that responsibility rests on his shoulders but he relishes the excitement of making it happen.

There was an international “go or no-go call” to make the final decision about whether to turn on the new technology and new service centre.

“It was one of those moments that you imagine they have at Nasa when they are getting ready to launch a spaceship,” he says.

“In India, do we have the technology ready to go? Yes. In America, are all employees in place and we are ready to go and sign off? Yes. It was so exciting.”

Richburg believes that with the right people and tools in place, a solution can always be found. Also essential is concentrating on areas that will yield the biggest impact. “You can’t boil the ocean, so don’t even try.”

And his personal mantra? “Making human resources as relevant for the desired business outcomes as possible.” That means making talent building such a driving strategic imperative that it is viewed as “the secret sauce” for his clients.

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