Transforming HR: A Year of Reflection

I firmly believe that every year is a gift. Maybe it’s my heart of optimism—because let’s face it—years can be hard. Yet, when I reflect, I truly see that every hurdle, puddle, and green path has brought me one step closer to something meaningful (even if I haven’t fully figured out what that is yet—and that’s okay).

Looking back on 2024, it’s been a wild ride. My professional year was rocked by a lot of change. Some of it was change I didn’t want (or didn’t think I wanted), change I didn’t ask for (but maybe I actually did), and change that forced me to dig deep and examine my confidence, priorities, and relationships. These shifts brought lessons I’ll carry forward forever.

As an HR leader, 2024 brought organizational design changes, challenges, layoffs, hiring, and everything in between. I didn’t just learn these lessons through my own experiences—I also saw them reflected in how I was led, how I led others, and how I watched others lead. Here are my top three takeaways from a year filled with successes, failures, and countless leadership reps:

1. How I Lead and How I Want to Be Led

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned this year is about supporting the people around me. Life is short, and the world is small. Some people will come and go in your life, while others will stay forever. It’s those forever relationships that deserve your energy and cultivation.

For the rest? Be kind. Be yourself. Learn from them. And remember, the lessons they bring are for you to take forward into your next project, career, or adventure.

I’ve always heard the saying, “People don’t leave companies; they leave leaders.” In 2024, I truly saw just how accurate that is. This realization shaped how I define the kind of leadership I value, how I aspire to lead others, and how I observe leadership in action. Feeling supported at work makes all the difference.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to witness a myriad of leadership styles throughout the year. These experiences have been invaluable in helping me articulate not only what I need as a leader but also who I strive to become. As an HR leader, these lessons came to life during moments of immense change—moments that reinforced the importance of empathy, communication, and authenticity. I made a conscious shift in how I show up for the people around me, and it has profoundly influenced the way I lead.

2. How Change and Challenges Can Make or Break You

I’ve always loved change and challenges—well, that was until they happened to me. When I felt like I had no choice, those moments were raw, uncomfortable, and humbling. But once I processed the emotions, I found valuable lessons about navigating change management and leadership.

This year taught me to reflect deeply: How could I have approached this change differently? How will I guide similar moments in the future? It also showed me the importance of self-confidence, self-reflection, and—perhaps most importantly—being my own cheerleader.

Leading transformation in 2024 was the most exciting and frightening change and challenge of my career. I didn’t just lead change—I experienced it simultaneously. I saw how change impacted others and how leaders at every level responded. I also saw how I responded. While we all know that how we lead through change can either make or break our teams, living through it allowed me to process what a textbook tells us in a very real and meaningful way. This reflection helped me determine what I could do differently and how I will approach change again.

Through it all, I kept circling back to Lesson #1: People stay or go because of their leader. How we lead, support change, and encourage challenges matters in ways we might not fully understand until we experience them firsthand. And back to Lesson #1—I want to ensure I create a leadership reputation and brand that continues to be authentic, drives hard and teaches in abundance.

3. Find Your Tribe

With all the change and challenges this year, I found myself in a new role, with a new team, and then eventually changing roles and teams again. Throughout these transitions, I heard everything—from words of encouragement to outright doubt.

What became crystal clear to me is the importance of having a tribe: people who truly care about your success. Your tribe will tell you what’s working and what’s not, where you shine and where you can grow. They know your strengths, and they’ll help you navigate your weaknesses.

Experiencing both friends and foes in the workplace has doubled down my commitment to being a friend, advocate, and supporter to others. As a transformational change agent, I saw how finding and building the right tribe can create opportunities, strengthen teams, and even drive cultural change. I also experienced how it impacted me as a person—having the right people in your circle is life-changing. Find yours!

You may not love everyone you work with—or even work for—but my goal has been to show up with honesty, kindness, and authenticity. Those are the leadership traits that build successful teams, inspire change, and foster lasting relationships. And back to Lesson #1—People stay or go because of their leader. I want to ensure I create a leadership reputation as a tribe builder.

As I close out 2024, I’m grateful. Grateful for the new experiences that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Grateful for the confidence I’ve built in myself. Grateful for the colleagues who became friends and the opportunities I may never have said yes to in the past.

I wish you all a very happy holiday season. May you take the time to reflect on the challenges, changes, and celebrations that defined your year. And here’s to an exciting 2025, full of new beginnings and opportunities!