HR Leadership Development

I asked the smartest people I know about AI... I’ve been reading everything I can get my hands on. Talking to AI founders, skeptics, operators, and dreamers. And having some very real conversations with people who’ve looked me in the eye and said: “This isn’t just a tool shift. It’s a leadership reckoning.” Oh boy. Another one eh? Alright. I get it. My job isn’t just to understand disruption. It’s to humanize it. Translate it. And make sure my teams are ready to grow through it and not get left behind. So I asked one of my most fav CEOs, turned investor - a sharp, no-BS mentor what he would do if he were running a company today. He didn’t flinch. He gave me a crisp, practical, people-centered roadmap. “Here’s how I’d lead AI transformation. Not someday. Now.” I’ve taken his words, built on them, and I’m sharing my approach here, not as a finished product, but as a living, evolving plan I’m adopting and sharing openly to refine with others. This plan I believe builds capability, confidence, and real business value: 1A. Educate the Top. Relentlessly. Every senior leader must go through an intensive AI bootcamp. No one gets to opt out. We can’t lead what we don’t understand. 1B. Catalog the problems worth solving. While leaders are learning, our best thinkers start documenting real challenges across the business. No shiny object chasing, just a working list of problems we need better answers for. 2. Find the right use cases. Map AI tools to real problems. Look for ways to increase efficiency, unlock growth, or reduce cost. And most importantly: communicate with optimism. AI isn’t replacing people, it’s teammate technology. Say that. Show that. 3. Build an AI Helpdesk. Recruit internal power users and curious learners to be your “AI Coaches.” Not just IT support - change agents. Make it peer-led and momentum-driven. 4. Choose projects with intention. We need quick wins to build energy and belief. But you need bigger bets that push the org forward. Balance short-term sprints with long-term missions. 5. Vet your tools like strategic hires. The AI landscape is noisy. Don’t just chase features. Choose partners who will evolve with you. Look for flexibility, reliability, and strong values alignment. 6. Build the ethics framework early. AI must come with governance. Be transparent. Be intentional. Put people at the center of every decision. 7. Reward experimentation. This is the messy middle. People will break things. Celebrate the ones who try. Make failing forward part of your culture DNA. 8. Scale with purpose. Don’t just track usage. Track value. Where are you saving time? Where is productivity up? Where is human potential being unlocked? This is not another one-and-done checklist. Its my AI compass. Because AI transformation isn’t just about tech adoption. It’s about trust, learning, transparency, and bringing your people with you. Help me make this plan better? What else should I be thinking about?

I love it when AI works out, because when it does - it’s magic. Here is my personal 5-step readiness checklist so you succeed with it. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Before any AI conversation, ask: "Is our data clean, accessible, and flowing properly?" - Map your current data sources and quality. - Identify gaps between systems. - Ensure data governance policies are in place 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺'𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲 Meet your people where they are, not where you want them to be. - Evaluate current tool proficiency (Are they Excel natives? Advanced analytics users?) - Identify the skills gap between current state and AI requirements. - Plan bridge training programs. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝗜 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Create understanding before implementation. - Run AI awareness sessions for leadership and end-users. - Define AI terminology and use cases relevant to your industry. - Address concerns and misconceptions upfront. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 Test the waters before diving in. - Choose one high-impact, low-risk use case. - Select a team that's excited about innovation. - Measure adoption rates, not just performance metrics 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀 Define what winning looks like. - Set clear ROI expectations. - Create channels for user feedback and iteration. - Plan for scaling successful pilots Organizations that complete this readiness checklist see 3x higher adoption rates and significantly better long-term ROI. AI implementation isn't a sprint, it's a strategic marathon. Where is your organization in this readiness journey? What step are you focusing on right now?

Regardless of where you are on your career journey, careers are never static. Eventually, we all have to make a pivot.   When I first accepted the position to lead HR at Johnson & Johnson, I never could have imagined some of the circumstances I'd be managing through. How we need to serve as HR leaders shifts quickly, and you have to be comfortable making decisions despite the uncertainty of the situation.    Sometimes, you won’t make the right call. It's the sign of a great leader to be able to admit when things aren't working out and reassess. As new information becomes available, you pivot again.    For future HR leaders looking to advance in their careers, I can't stress enough the importance of adaptability in our industry. Looking back at my career, the things I worried about never really happened, but I never could have predicted what unfolded. Keep your North Star top of mind - mine has always been that our role is to help our people be their best selves – to approach career pivots with facts, compassion and respect.   #peopledevelopment #careergrowth #preparingforpivots 

The secret to 10x impact from AI is changing *what* work you do, not only how your team does that work. See AI as more than a “productivity tool.” To succeed and become executives, leaders must think of AI differently than coders, designers, PMs, and other ICs. Here is how to *lead* with AI: It can be used to do things faster or more easily, but that isn’t where the real opportunity is. The real opportunity for leaders to grow their careers using AI is by using it to create net new value for the company: new products, better margins, or systems that fundamentally reduce cost or complexity. Creating new value is what will win you new opportunities, responsibilities, and eventually, a promotion. Using AI to do this requires knowledge and experience with AI tools and applications, a clear strategy, and the leadership skill to guide the process. Here’s how I would go about gaining that knowledge, creating the strategy, and leading the change in my organization: First, I’d deeply engage with AI. I would set aside time to personally test tools, follow AI experts, attend workshops, and build a mental model of where AI can create real leverage in my organization. I would also ask my team where they are currently using AI and what sort of results they are seeing. Second, I’d craft experiments. The leaders who will stand out will ask: what can we do now that we couldn’t do before? What cost structures can we eliminate? What customer problems can we solve in a new way? I would ask these questions and create hypotheses based on what I learned playing with tools and from others. I would then test these hypotheses with funded experiments that have meaningful but manageable impact. Third, I’d lead AI adoption by shaping culture. I'd ensure clarity on the “why” behind our AI efforts and I’d create a culture where experimentation is encouraged and failure is safe. I’d set expectations that we “use AI,” identify champions, and work with those who are resistant so that they feel supported in the change but also understand that it is a new expectation and not a request. The challenge with leading AI today is that it is already in your organization. Some are using it, others are opposing it and fearing it, everyone is aware of it. If you don’t lead your team through its use, you’ll lose control of it. Teams will adopt it unevenly, causing friction and confusion. On the flip side, if you lead well, it has the ability to 10x your impact and skyrocket your career. AI is not a tech problem for most leaders. It’s a change management problem. If you are a strategic, curious, and thoughtful leader you will be able to manage this change for the benefit of your team, your business, and your career. I write more about this in today’s newsletter for paid subscribers. I designed a 30-day AI Leadership Sprint and a number of other resources you can use to lead AI adoption in your org. Read the newsletter here: https://buff.ly/QMlF266 What's missing?

I've had a number of conversations recently with CEOs and other executive team members about their (former) HR leaders. In each of these instances, the leaders didn't meet the expectations of the role. Now I don't have specifics and I don't know how these expectations were communicated but, in these conversations there was a throughline - they were good at the day to day HR, but not strategy. As a company grows, the needs of the head of HR role changes. And some people change along with that role. Some don't. And this leads, sometimes, to either a painful separation or, often worse, someone staying too long in a role that no longer plays to their strengths, leading to frustration on all sides. (One thing to note here: Much of my experience has been in mid-size or larger companies with a frontline workforce. This may or may not hold true for startups or very small companies.) When I used to teach a certification course, I talked often about how as your career grows, if you choose to grow it in the path toward CHRO or CPO, your role will feel more business than HR. Because as a member of the executive team, the expectations are just different. You can't expect to step from a Director or VP role into a C-suite role without gaining new skills, or significantly enhancing what you have. So where do you start? What are these skills you'll need in the C-suite that you may not have had starting out? There are a lot. But here are some that helped me in my career: Relationship building - cultivating this skill was possibly the single most beneficial thing to my career Business acumen and aligning HR with the business goals - many of you are going, yeah we know this but I still have a lot of conversations with HR leaders who aren't there yet. You have to understand the business and how it makes money - and you have to understand each department, what they do, and their impact on the organization. (And adding in data-driven insights? That is part of this too.) Whether you work for a large company or a small one. Courage and compassion - I think these go hand in hand. You have to have the courage to challenge your CEO, to stand up for what's right. To have compassion for all of your people - and especially for yourself. Innovation - I have not had the experience of my CEOs expecting me to be innovative. I've had to learn, grow, teach and lead the way. Innovation takes many forms (not just AI!) so think big and don't be afraid to take a risk. Change - There are some companies and some changes that align best with bringing in change management experts. But I've been able to lead change efforts within my companies for decades. If you understand the basics of change management, it may still be challenging to lead a full-scale organizational change, but it will help you with smaller changes, and with understanding how to move forward through challenging situations. If you are a CPO or c-suite leader what skills have helped you?

Let’s be real—HR has come a long way from being the ‘fun police’ or the department that orders pizza for the company party (though I do love a good pizza party 🍕). Today’s HR leaders are strategic wizards, driving real business outcomes with data, insights, and a healthy dose of business savvy. Here’s why we need to keep that business lens in focus: 1. Stop Tracking Headcount and Start Calculating Retention ROI 📈 If you’re still counting heads and patting yourself on the back for reducing turnover by 2%, it’s time to level up. Imagine showing your CFO how retaining top talent saved the company $1 million in recruitment costs and boosted revenue by increasing productivity. That’s the kind of math that makes everyone stand up and take notice.💥 It’s not just about keeping people happy; it’s about keeping the right people and proving the value in dollars and cents. 2. Speak the Language of Business, Not Just HR Jargon 💬 You know what executives don’t want to hear? A 10-minute rundown on your new wellness program without any mention of its impact on the bottom line. Here’s a tip: start with the numbers! Instead of saying, ‘We launched a mindfulness app,’ try, ‘Employee stress levels dropped by 20%, and our productivity increased by 15%.’ You’ll go from ‘That’s cute, HR’ to ‘Tell me more!’ in no time. Remember, we’re not just people people—we’re business people too! 3. Use Data Like a Crystal Ball 🔮 The best HR leaders use data to tell the future (and maybe to impress a CFO or two). Picture this: instead of saying, ‘We should invest in leadership training,’ you show data that predicts a 34% increase in retention and a direct boost to revenue. Now you’re not just proposing another ‘nice-to-have’ program—you’re making a business case that’s hard to ignore. You’ve gone from HR fairy godmother to data-driven superhero 🦸♀️. The Bottom Line: If we want HR to have a seat at the table, we need to bring the receipts (and I’m not talking about your expense report). It’s about showing up with the data, speaking the language of business, and proving that HR isn’t just a cost center—it’s a growth engine. So Tell Me: How Are You Bringing a Business Lens to HR? I’d love to hear your war stories, success metrics, and maybe a few epic fails (we’ve all had them). Let’s share how we’re transforming HR from the inside out and making it the powerhouse function we know it can be! #hrstrategy #businessstrategy

One of the toughest moments you'll encounter as a leader is when your team is struggling, and you’re too busy to notice. Maybe your team has been working around the clock to meet a deadline. As the deadline approaches, the quality of work starts to slip, and tensions rise. But instead of jumping in to reprimand or simply push harder, you take a step back and ask: "I know we’ve been working hard, and I can feel the stress and pressure building. I want to understand how each of you is really feeling right now, beyond just meeting deadlines. What’s been weighing on you, and how can I help support you?" That’s radical empathy. And I think it’s the key for leaders looking to build and scale highly productive teams. It’s the kind of leadership that goes beyond metrics and deadlines. Radical empathy is about deeply connecting with your team in a way that acknowledges their struggles and humanizes their experience. It’s a commitment to listening, understanding, and acting in a way that prioritizes the person’s emotional and psychological well-being.

The Experiences That Make Me a Better Coach (Part 4: HR Leader) Leading talent through massive change taught me something important - this work is never just about hiring the right people, it’s about creating the conditions where people and organizations can adapt, grow, and thrive. It was a journey of learning as much as leading through times of: Transforming business and workforce realities - navigating emerging technology, economic and regulatory shifts, acquisitions, as well as large-scale retirements that required new ways to transfer knowledge and plan for the future. Elevating people and roles - moving HR from transactional to strategic, becoming true partners of the business, expanding responsibilities, creating developmental pathways, supporting promotions, and ensuring pay and recognition reflected real value. Redefining how work gets done - leading virtual and hybrid teams before it was common, proving flexibility and results could coexist, and protecting budgets for professional development so people could keep learning, leading, and bringing new ideas back. Often it meant rethinking everything how we hired, onboarded, developed, worked and retained talent - so the organization could thrive not just now, but years from now. ❤️ At the heart of it all was investing in people, strengthening teams, and creating vision and strategy to guide organizations through change. And through it all, what it really takes to make a difference in people’s lives and careers. Today, when I coach clients, I bring that same perspective. I’ve seen what leaders look for, how they make decisions, and what it takes to be ready not just for the next role, but for the next chapter. Next in the series: Coaching with a global career transition firm during a historical economic downturn taught me lessons I now share with clients facing change of their own. #CareerCoach #TransformationalLeadership #GrowthMindSet

Empathy for your people isn’t a slogan on a wall. It’s what you do when someone on your team is struggling. The more I think about leadership in today’s world, the more I realize how backwards it’s gotten. We’ve confused resilience with false bravado. Especially for women. We say “be yourself” but expect people to power through layoffs, childcare gaps, illness, return-to-office mandates, and burnout like it’s nothing. And here’s what keeps getting missed: When things get hard, empathy isn’t extra. It’s the job in leadership. This is what builds loyalty and trust. And no this isn’t about being “soft.” It’s about being human. And smart enough to know that regulated nervous systems create better work. This is why I’ve always respected what Atlassian is doing (yes, I’m biased, I worked there). They get that it’s not just where work gets done; it’s how. Psychology backs it up: Empathy reduces cortisol. It lights up the part of the brain that helps us focus, solve problems, create. So if you want performance? Start with empathy. 8 simple ways to show empathy as a leader right now: 1. Normalize mental health days without guilt or needing to “make up for it” 2. Give space before asking for deliverables after a team layoff 3. Let people turn off video without explanation 4. Be mindful of “grind culture” praise as it often masks overload 5. Say “I’ve got your back” and mean it when things go sideways 6. Assume good intent before jumping to conclusions 7. Create private check-ins that feel safe, not performative 8. Model self-compassion so others know it’s allowed You don’t need a PhD in psychology to lead with empathy. You just need to give a damn. What is your # 9? ♻️ Repost this to remind another leader: Real empathy is strategy. 🔔 Follow me for leadership insights that work in the world we actually live in. #womeninleadership #empathy #leadership

I managed teams for 10 years before I learned this important truth: Empathy isn't a "soft skill." It's your most powerful leadership tool. I once had a top performer who was missing deadlines. Instead of asking "Why isn't this done?" I asked "How can I support you?" Turns out, she was dealing with family health issues but was afraid to speak up. That one conversation changed everything. 8 ways I learned to show empathy at work: — Listen without jumping to fix things — Be flexible when life throws curveballs — Make time for non-work conversations — Give praise in public, feedback in private — Create space where no question feels stupid — Support mental health days, not just sick days — Ask how you can help, not why things aren't done — Treat your team like people first, employees second When you lead with empathy, productivity and loyalty naturally follow. You don't have to choose between being human and being successful. The most effective leaders are both. Because at the end of the day, people don't leave bad jobs. They leave environments where they don't feel understood or appreciated. Want to transform your team? Start with empathy. It's the investment that pays the highest returns. ♻️ Agree? Repost to spread the message. Thanks! 📌 Follow Justin Wright for more on emotional intelligence. Want my 99 best cheat sheets? Get them free: BrillianceBrief.com