Develop and Elevate Others
Lasting success is shaped through relationships, mentorship, and a focus on enabling others to grow.
Let Go So Others Can Grow
“Early in my career, I met with my boss before I went on vacation, and I told him I’d completed everything for the following week. He paused and said, ‘I don’t know if you realize this, but you’re actually taking away from your team’s ability to be you.’ That was powerful. He said there were people on my team that wanted to do the job I was doing. Allow your team to step in and do some of those things. It doesn’t always have to be you.”
Kelly Jones, Chief People Officer, Cisco
Shift Your Focus from Climbing to Lifting
“Growth isn’t about how high you climb. It’s about who gets stronger, more capable, and better equipped because you were there. That’s how I lead, how I coach, and how I build systems that move people and business forward. When the right people grow in the right ways, the business scales with them.”
Pamela J. Brown, Head of People and Culture, Crunch Fitness
Surround Yourself with Great Talent
“A few things: First, never give up. Patience, hard work and a clear purpose will allow you to change the world. Also, never compromise on surrounding yourself with great talent. Finally, you cannot improve something you don’t measure.”
Rudy Alanis, CPO, Senior VP and Chief People Officer, Fruit of the Loom, Inc.
Enhance Your Value Through Empathy
“Emotional intelligence is one of your most important differentiators. Knowing the business and being strategic are table stakes for high-level HR professionals. Where you can stand out, enhance your value, and, frankly, be less stressed and more satisfied, is by developing your ability to relate and to see through others’ eyes.
“When you understand that everyone lives in their own slightly different world from yours — which is real to them and determines their worries and passions — you can build real connections and be a better partner, counselor, advocate, leader, and teammate. Ultimately, that will help you crack some of the toughest challenges you’ll face.”
Melinda McAfee, CHRO and Chief Legal Officer, Victoria's Secret & Co.
Ask, Listen, Improve, Repeat
“The most important advice I’ve received is about the importance of continuous learning and always being open to asking for feedback at any level of the organization.
“There were many times I've worked with CEOs, and they'll come offstage and immediately ask, ‘Can you give me some feedback? What did I do well? What could I improve on?’ There's something about that humility and openness to hearing how they can improve and to leverage their strengths that is a key driver in success. I want to be the best version of myself, and I try to instill that in others. We just have to be open to it.”
Jill Waite, Chief People Officer, Portillo’s restaurants
When Juggling, Know Which Balls You Can Drop
“Author Nora Roberts said, ‘When you’re juggling a lot of balls, remember that some are glass and some are rubber, and you can’t drop the glass balls.’ While I prefer not to drop any balls, I have had to learn which balls I can drop and which I cannot drop. Time with my family and following through on commitments are glass balls I cannot drop.”
Sheena Blauvelt, Executive Director of HR, USANA Health Sciences
Measure Success by Who You Lift
“My first boss said to me, ‘I want you to measure your success by who you develop, who you help grow, and who you help get to the next level.’ I've always carried that on my shoulder.”
Susan Podlogar, Former CHRO, MetLife
Serve Before You Lead
“The best advice that’s guided me throughout my HR career is ‘practice selfless leadership.’ Putting others’ needs ahead of your own is a practical, easy-to-implement career strategy that helps you live your values and stand out as a rarity among your peers. It helps you become your people’s favorite boss and mentor, and it makes you a role model in the leadership, communication, and teambuilding space. Simply put, be the kind of leader you’d like to work for. It will build your employees’ self-confidence and help them do their best work every day with peace of mind.”
Paul Falcone, Former VP of HR at NBC Universal, Time Warner Cable, and Nickelodeon
Put Engagement at the Center of Leadership
“During my first month at Chevron, the vice president of HR hosted a new-hire lunch. The last question to him was ‘What advice do you have for us?’ His response guided me for 30-plus years: ‘It does not matter how smart you are. It does not matter if you have the best ideas. It does not matter if you have the best project plan. If you cannot and do not engage with and bring along the people you need to successfully execute what you are trying to accomplish, you will never be successful.’”
Rhonda Morris, Former CHRO, Chevron
Membership
Lead What’s Next
Anticipate what’s changing before it reaches your organization. SHRM Membership gives you the workforce intelligence, expert guidance, and data to act with confidence, reduce risk, and become the HR leader others trust when the answer matters most.
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Prepare Your Organization
Equip your HR team to see workforce change earlier and respond together. SHRM Enterprise Membership provides decision-ready intelligence and expert guidanceso your team can reduce workforce risk, strengthen decision quality, and build capability for what comes next.