To Succeed Long-Term, Leaders Need To Be Self-Aware And Open To Adjusting Their Approach

Jane Elliott, chief human resources officer at NCR Voyix, shared her key leadership lessons with my colleague, David Reimer, CEO of The ExCo Group, and me in our latest?Strategic CHRO interview. Subscribe here for future interviews.

Reimer: What are some big HR issues on the horizon that are top of mind for you?

Elliott: One is that the market around the world for talent is shrinking. Many studies show that we're going to have a massive talent shortage in the not-too distant future. Yes, AI and technology are going to play big roles in how we work, but that won’t necessarily change the number of workers we need. We always hear about the importance of having the right talent in the right jobs, but we also have to make sure we just have enough people to do the work that needs to get done, particularly at that higher level.

I also worry about many of the new graduates who are entering the workforce. They're smart but a lot of them need to become better communicators. We need to help them build the skill of being able to distill very complicated thoughts into digestible ideas. How do you harness their drive and intelligence to optimize the contributions of those employees? It's about matching their soft and hard skills to the strategy of the company. If?we get all that aligned, it creates a flywheel effect. ?

Bryant: Sticking with that theme, if you were speaking to an audience of recent college grads, what would you say to them about how to get ahead?

Elliott: Pay attention and always be willing to ask questions. The way you get ahead is by learning how things?work, and not just doing the job you were hired to do. The better you understand how processes work within the company, the better you’ll be able to contribute and add value.?

The other thing is to put yourself out there and don’t just stay within the team you were hired into. Be willing to introduce yourself at all levels. Don’t be afraid to reach out. I told our last class of interns—115 of them—that I was accessible and would make time to meet with them. Only five reached out. To get ahead, you can’t be intimidated by an office or a title or an individual. It's about having belief in your capabilities and what you can bring to the table.?

Reimer: What are some early influences that shaped your leadership style?

Elliott: I grew up in a small town in western New York, and?I was one of 39 kids who graduated from high school, and we went to school together from kindergarten through 12th?grade. It was the typical little town where everybody knew everybody. That upbringing really helped me in my career because I treat the people I work with like we are part of the same community. That’s important to me.?

Bryant: When you coach and mentor senior executives, what themes come up most often when you share advice?

Elliott: They often have a blind spot when it comes to people, especially those who are not in their inner circle. So they can fail to pick up on social cues and have trouble reading the room. That's very common, and it can very detrimental. Most people are open to feedback when you explain how their actions might be viewed by someone with a different point of view. The executives who have some self-awareness and openness to adjusting their approach are the ones who succeed over the long-term.?

Reimer: An important part of your job is interacting with board directors. What advice would you have for someone who is stepping in their first CHRO role?

Elliott: Hopefully that person has had the opportunity to attend some board meetings ahead of time to listen to the discussions and develop a feel for the dynamics. They will also want to have one-on-one meetings?with the CEO, CFO and general counsel to get their guidance. They should also ask the CEO if they can speak directly to the lead director or board chair, as well as the chair of the comp committee.?

They don’t need a big agenda. It should be a chance to ask about the directors’ biggest concerns around issues of talent, succession, and compensation. Those interviews can be really helpful. And at the risk of stating the obvious, they should do their research to understand everyone’s background. Do your homework so you can carry on a conversation with the directors outside the scheduled meetings.

Bryant: What’s the best leadership lesson you’ve learned from one of the worst managers you’ve had in your career?

Elliott: I did have a difficult manager for a handful of years in one of my roles. This individual just didn't understand how to communicate and deal with people. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have said this person was a true introvert. But when you’re young, you’re not as attuned to such things. This manager wouldn't really talk to you individually. He would only send emails. There was very little direction, and when I did ask a question to clarify something, he would get his back up.?

I'm able to see the movie pretty fast, so if you tell me that you need me to do something, I’m already thinking four steps ahead and trying to figure out what the problems might be. When I did that with him, he viewed that as an affront on his capability or his intelligence. I?was being very direct, largely because of my upbringing and my what-you-see-is-what-you-get approach. It was a challenge.

But that helped me better understand what can be a blind spot for me. I need to always make sure that I help bring people along who maybe can’t see the end of the movie as quickly as me. As a manager now, I make sure that everybody understands why we need to do XYZ, because somebody might tell me why that’s a bad idea or point out why it might not work. And I'm okay with that. I tell my group, “I'm paying you guys a lot of money so that you can tell me when my idea is a dumb idea, and that you have a better idea.”

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