How To Win Running The CHRO Marathon

Each day as a Chief HR or People Officer (CHRO/CPO) brings a new set of challenges and opportunities. From managing fire drills to addressing urgent ER (employee relations) issues, ELT meetings to managing team dynamics. Moreover, they often serve as the CEO's personal HR business partner, handling urgent phone calls and providing strategic counsel, while also fielding inquiries from board members.

Last week, I was speaking to several of our CHRO Mastermind members, and as they described their days, I reflected that the CHRO role is like running a marathon at a sprinter's pace, and if you aren't careful, you will burn out or “hit the wall”—and they couldn't agree more with that analogy. If you have run a marathon or any kind of race, you know that your pace, quality of caloric intake, hydration, electrolytes, shoes, running partners, and rest are so critical to enjoying the journey of training for the marathon and eventually finishing one. Being successful and lasting as a CHRO has it’s own set of practices that help the CHRO or CPO enjoy the journey.

Drawing from my experiences running CHRO Mastermind groups, I've distilled key insights into the evolving nature of the CHRO role. These insights go beyond conventional wisdom, offering practical guidance for CHROs seeking to thrive in today's complex business environment.

1. Setting the Vision for HR: Gone are the days when HR merely followed the direction set by other departments. Today's CHRO must proactively shape the vision for the HR function, articulating its strategic importance to both internal teams and the C-suite. By demonstrating the potential of HR to drive organizational success, CHROs inspire their teams and stakeholders to embrace innovation and change.

2. Transitioning from Player to Coach: Effective CHROs understand the importance of delegating operational tasks to focus on strategic leadership. By building a skilled HR team and leveraging technology, CHROs can free themselves from day-to-day responsibilities and concentrate on coaching and empowering their team members to excel in their roles.

3. Becoming a Connector: CHROs need to be versatile professionals, capable of bridging gaps between different departments, resources, and technologies. Even if they haven't ascended through every HR function, CHROs must facilitate connections within their teams and across the organization to drive collaboration and problem-solving.

4. Shaping Strategic Priorities: While HR traditionally supports the strategic objectives set by other departments, modern CHROs play a proactive role in shaping these priorities. By leveraging data, insights, and their deep understanding of the business, CHROs challenge existing strategies and propose innovative approaches to align HR initiatives with organizational goals.

5. Balancing Working In and On the Business: Just as entrepreneurs must allocate time to work on their businesses, CHROs need to carve out dedicated time to focus on strategic initiatives. While there may be initial demands to work in the business, CHROs must prioritize activities that drive long-term value and foster continuous improvement within the HR function.

These insights represent just a fraction of the multifaceted responsibilities that define the modern CHRO role. If you're a CHRO or people officer seeking to enhance your strategic leadership skills and connect with peers facing similar challenges, I invite you to reach out to me to learn more about our CHRO mastermind groups for fast-growth, mid, and large organizations at CHROpartners.com.

P.S. #6. Many CHROs are also re-architecting cultures in a day when there is not one way to work and many opinions on where we should work.