MPL Highlights - 6 tips for Chief People Officers

We're only 51 days into 2024 and we've already had some unforgettable moments on The Modern People Leader.

Here are the 6 most unforgettable moments so far. ??

1. The 'Calendar Redesign' Experiment at Atlassian ??

Atlassian recently conducted an interesting experiment. Upon reviewing company-wide calendars across various functions, Annie Dean (VP of Team Anywhere, Atlassian) says they noticed a peculiar pattern: everyone's calendar seemed to be filled with back-to-back 30-minute meetings, regardless of their differing job roles.

This observation raised a critical question: if calendars are packed with meetings, when does actual work happen?

To address this, they formulated hypotheses and conducted experiments with two groups.

Group A was instructed to keep 30% of their calendar free, dedicating around 10% of their time to focused work and 20% to open collaboration. This approach allowed for more flexible, immediate problem-solving rather than scheduling discussions weeks in advance.

Group B, on the other hand, began each day by discussing with their manager the most important task to be accomplished, emphasizing the creation of value over fulfilling calendar obligations.

The results were remarkable. Across both groups people reported:

? 31% increase in productivity

? 13% reduction in meeting time

? 67% of ICs felt like they were making more progress

? 71% of managers felt like they were making more progress

? The habit of less meeting time has persisted

While both groups made more progress on top priorities, the group that choose a daily top priority was significantly more likely to say they made more progress.

2. The art of saying "no" in HR ??

It’s tempting to say “yes” when people come to HR with outlandish demands.

But agreeing to everything isn’t necessary. Katya Laviolette (Chief People Officer, 1Password) once worked for a CEO who advised her not to rush into saying yes. He suggested, “Sometimes, if you sit with a decision, a different answer emerges.”

Her advice for People Leaders facing these types of demands? Instead of reacting immediately, try to engage in a dialogue.

Consider asking questions like:

• What’s driving this demand?
• Have we considered __ instead?

After a meaningful dialogue, it becomes easier to push back respectfully.

Saying “no” in HR is an art. It’s about having courageous conversations, not confrontations.

3. Q's advice for first-time Chief People Officers ??

1?? Be flexible.

Balance taking your time to settle in while addressing any fires or time-sensitive issues that come up.

Q Hamirani built a 60-90 day onboarding plan when he started, but had to scrap it by day 3.

No matter how much you understand about the company pre-hire, expect some unknowns and surprises when you start. Roll with the changes.

2?? Take a role where the mission aligns with your values.

If you can’t anchor to your mission and it’s not what you expected, get out. If you can’t build a strong relationship with the co-founders and executive team, it’s probably not going to be sustainable long-term.

For him, knowing Paper’s mission to transform public education was what got him through the hardest days.

And because he has built such a strong relationship with the co-founders, he feels comfortable being open with them and hashing things out.

4. How to bring your values to life through stories and real-life examples ??

This process helped Holly May (former CPO at Datavant) and her team bring their cultural values to life with a collection of stories and real-life examples. ????

1) She and her CEO arrived at a "good enough" version of their written values for broader input.

2) They gathered extensive feedback in a company-wide five-page Google Doc where everyone could comment, ask questions, and refine the wording.

3) They conducted workshops to solicit examples of existing behaviors that aligned with the desired values. In one workshop with the People team, they spent hours presenting "underbaked but directionally correct" draft values, acknowledging that employees were already embodying them unconsciously. Their goal was to identify and recognize these existing behaviors.

4) They brainstormed specific stories: a leader's decision regarding a high performer, a leader's approach to a problem on a specific date, etc. The focus was on real-world actions, not hypothetical scenarios.

5. Unique ways to think about transparency at your organization ??

Here are four unique methods for enhancing transparency that Adam Horne shared:

1) Sharing the employee-to-manager ratio with candidates

This might seem like a minor detail, but it gives applicants a sense of the team size they're potentially joining. This is crucial, as studies indicate an optimal team size for productivity. Knowing if you're entering a large or small team can significantly impact cultural fit, development opportunities, and manager interaction time.

2) Sharing your company's meeting philosophy

People are increasingly scrutinizing their meeting schedules – whether it’s eight hours a week, just one hour, or even a zero-hours policy. This is particularly relevant in fields like product development and engineering, where uninterrupted focus time is often valued over back-to-back meetings. Sharing this philosophy helps candidates decide if they align with your company culture.

3) Being transparent about Internal Mobility opportunities

This aspect is particularly important for Gen Z candidates entering the workforce. They’re not interested in being pigeonholed into one role; they value the opportunity to move laterally within a company for career growth. Companies should be transparent about these opportunities, even if they are limited.

4) Creating team 'read-me's

These are like user manuals for hiring managers and colleagues, and they're gaining popularity. Going beyond LinkedIn profiles, these documents offer insights into communication styles, decision-making processes, and behaviors during both good and bad days. This level of detail can be a significant factor for applicants, as the quality of a manager often influences their decision to stay or leave. Sharing this information provides applicants with a deeper understanding of their potential manager, which can be incredibly valuable.

6. How to make decisions with your CEO as Chief People Officer ??

Hannah Yardley has lots of experience getting other leadership to care about people problems.

Her advice?

Get alignment on the what and when of decision making.

She has three buckets:

1) CEO decisions - major people investments like office locations

2) CEO + CHRO decisions - engagement surveys, compensation strategies

3) CEO + all SLT team decisions - broader policies and programs

This structure creates clarity when she needs to deeply partner with the CEO vs. when she should be gathering perspectives from the broader leadership team.

It also empowers her to move faster on people initiatives and say “no” to non-critical requests.

The key takeaway? Invest time with your CEO to define decision rights and cadences.

Good news from Leapsome : Meetings Module is now FREE for everyone ??

Leapsome's fan favorite "Meetings Module" is now FREE for everyone.

Create an account now and make inefficient meetings at your company a thing of the past.

? Collaborative Agendas

? Add Internal & External Collaborators

? Action Items & Next steps

See you next week!

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