HR’s Playbook for Strategic Leadership, Innovation, and Influence

Many CEOs still lack confidence in HR’s ability to drive business outcomes, which limits their influence on the organization, said Val Grubb, president of Val Grubb & Associates, during a session at SHRM25 in San Diego. Just 18% of CHROs reported having an HR strategy seamlessly aligned with their organization’s broader business objectives, according to SHRM’s CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report.  

HR executives must strengthen their leadership, elevate their strategic influence, and harness emerging technologies to play a greater strategic role in the organization. “It’s not just about running the business,” Grubb said. “It’s about transforming it.”

Lead with Strategic Communication and Financial Fluency 

To earn a seat at the decision-making table, HR must be able to speak the language of the C-suite, shifting from reporting on HR activities to communicating the business impact of HR, Grubb said. “Don’t lead with what you did. Lead with the ‘why,’” she stressed. “If you can’t articulate the impact, no one should be on board.”

HR professionals need to communicate in headlines, not lengthy narratives, that make it easy for executives to say yes. This requires translating people data into strategic recommendations that align with business priorities. Whether you’re pitching a training program or a change initiative, link it directly to how it impacts revenue, profit, or customer retention. 

To help do that, HR leaders must develop financial literacy. Being able to read a profit and loss statement, understand return on investment, and speak to how talent investments impact the bottom line is essential to securing leadership buy-in.

Partner for Power: Embed HR Within Revenue-Generating Functions

HR’s influence multiplies when it aligns itself with the parts of the business that drive profit, Grubb said. That means embedding HR not just in culture or compliance efforts, but in sales, operations, and product development. “Go where the money is,” she said. “Your CEO listens to the people who make money. Be in those conversations.” 

Grubb shared a strategy from her own career: rotating out of her own HR office and spending time in different departments each week. Her goal was to build relationships and trust, while shifting the perception of HR from a support function to a strategic partner.

“Don’t just wait for the CEO to let you in. Get the head of sales, customer service, and production to say, ‘Why isn’t HR in this room?’” she said. “That’s how you build strategic allies.” 

This kind of partnership also gives HR invaluable insights into customer pain points and competitive weaknesses — information that can guide learning and development, workforce planning, and innovation efforts.

Use AI to Empower Innovation and Impact 

Despite the buzz around AI, many HR teams are still hesitant to adopt it, Grubb said. While the challenges around adoption are real, they’re easier to overcome when HR executives lead the charge. 

Rather than replacing human insight, AI can streamline the tactical work that clogs HR’s bandwidth — giving professionals more time to focus on high-value work such as organizational transformation, culture building, and talent strategy. Start small: Pilot AI with one repetitive HR process and then scale from there, Grubb said. 

Avoiding AI puts your personal brand — and your influence — at risk, she warned: “If you’re not trying to lead this effort, no one’s going to give you the innovation projects.”

Treat Yourself Like a Strategic Asset

HR leaders should not feel guilty about prioritizing their own career development. In fact, the future of your company may depend on it, Grubb said.

“When you elevate your skills, you elevate the company,” she said. “You deserve time to focus on you.”

HR professionals should block two immovable hours on their calendars each week to engage with AI tools, she said — one hour to learn, one hour to apply. Use that time to build new capabilities, lead a pilot program, or tackle a business challenge. A road map might look like this:

• Weeks 1-2: Run a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), gap, and fishbone analysis to identify a critical business issue.

• Weeks 3-6: Plan and pilot a solution.

• Weeks 7-12: Measure results and share the win — internally and externally.

Now is the time for HR professionals to redefine their roles as innovators, strategists, and business leaders, Grubb said. The tools are available. What’s needed now is bold, confident HR leadership that’s ready to shape the future of work.

“You are judged by your team. You are judged by your impact,” she emphasized. “HR should not be chasing change. HR should be leading it.”