Leadership traits of the HR greats unveiled

The secrets of Britain's Chief People Officer's revealed - the shared character traits and that 'je ne sais quoi'.
HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
Leadership traits of the HR greats unveiled
Chief People Officers shine bright with an eclectic mix of high EQ and a visionary focus

What makes a great CPO? I’ve interviewed many – reporting for HR Grapevine, here is my wisdom from talking to the ‘good and the great’ on what makes them stand out from the HR crowd.

I’ve met CPOs that run marathons, others that collect 1980s gaming arcades, some that are part of Team GB, one that’s starred in Coronation Street, others that just like to kick into the ordinary - be it as a Saturday football coach for the local kids’ team or a volunteer dog walker for the family and a few more that just do it for the love of helping others shine while they hide behind a rock. It takes all sorts but what’s interesting is that within them all is a yearning and a spirit of not giving up – ever. As I look at the haul of HR fame, I delve into what those shared traits are.

There’s a lot you can wade through about leadership and what makes for a great leader – Google searches comes up with article upon article, all promising to shed light on the issue. But what I have discovered in the endless interviews I have done with HR leaders is more complex. It’s not necessarily a tangible trait or one in particular – it’s that combination of skills and talents – a certain ‘something’ that is in essence ‘just there.’ It’s not necessarily about being the leading light in a room and the face that everyone turns to the moment they pitch up or being a stellar conversationalist or a workaholic – it truly varies from person to person.

Some are self-diagnosed introverts, others like to shout out to the world that they have arrived, many are neither. So, for all the articles you read the sad news is there isn’t necessarily a particular ‘acquire this skill and watch your catastrophic rise to fame’ trait - it’s that wonderful mix of lots of things, the bits that are seemingly impervious yet fall beneath the floorboards like some secret dust, a thirst for more when it seems enough already, like all the great explorers, a willingness to graft and try, a dedication like an Olympiad and a focus like a cheetah with eyes on its kill.

Steven Vengrow, of Synergy Resource Group, publishing on LinkedIn offers a listicle of the traits that make the cut. Think the Sainsbury’s strapline ‘taste the difference’ and apply it here:

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