Member Access Required
This meeting is exclusively for members of the Chief Human Resources Officer Board.
Interested in participating? Contact our team to discuss eligibility.
If you are an i4cp member, please log in to access the registration/meeting details.
Log In

Meeting Details

Thank you to everyone who attended the i4cp CHRO board meeting in Scottsdale, AZ. We had a great group of colleagues and several outside thought leaders to spur the conversation.

  1. We were joined by Lisa Shalett and Lisa DeCarlo, founders of Extraordinary Women on Boards to discuss the CHRO/Board relationship, and how to network with your own board and with others to take on board positions at other companies.
  2. Paul Keary, co-founder and CEO of Teneo shared observations (and some reassurances) from the Teneo Vision 2025 CEO and Investor Outlook report and commented on what’s already changed since it was published late last year.
  3. Alan May, former Chief People Officer at HPE, showed his true colors in a lively discussion about what it takes to grow as a CHRO, and how we grow the next generation of HR leaders.

Below is just a taste of the kinds of conversations we engaged in.

  1. Business transformation – how to know and manage the difference between transformative change and turbulence
  2. When (and if) to comment on social issues, political policies, etc. – let your mission and values be your guide. Make the simplest, proudest statement you can.
  3. Labor relations – The rise of (a new era of) Unions; Market Basket case study; moving from low trust to grievances; employees are fragile and angry
  4. Building a culture of de-escalation – it’s about autonomy; RTO is viewed as another choice we took away.
  5. Is there an identity crisis on the way? What if the individual becomes the enterprise?
  6. Board relationships need to balance transparency and curiosity – help focus them on key questions.
  7. Boards want to know, what does help look like? How can we help you execute? How will we respond to public incidents that impact our strategy?
  8. TTT (time to think) is a competitive advantage, and leaders are encouraged to block time on their calendars.
  9. While the complexity of the CHRO role is a huge sacrifice for us as individuals, it’s important to take time for yourself and to remember that your CEO has it even worse.  It continues to be imperative to provide clarity to the role.
  10. CEO point of view from Davos: Don’t overreact and don’t overpredict based on the current pollical climate – this too shall pass.

In this in-person session, we focused on agile and adaptable HR, discussing topics including skills/capability, strategy, and structure. We also explored what CEOs want from their CHRO.

Why This Meeting Mattered: 

When the CHRO Board answered i4cp’s 2025 Priorities survey, the most cited priority (by far) was ‘Ensuring the HR strategy is agile enough to stay tightly aligned with changes to the enterprise strategy’ and the top challenge this Board noted was ‘Ensuring that the function’s employees can adapt to the changing needs of the business’. This meeting ensured you were better equipped for both.

What And Who You Experienced:

  • What CEOs and investors want and what it means for CHROs – Paul Keary (co-founder and CEO of Teneo – a global CEO advisory firm) share insights and advice based on Teneo’s brand new 2025 CEO and Investor Outlook survey and Paul’s numerous conversations with top chief executives.
  • The future of HR – Alan May (former Chief People Officer at HPE, 2015-24) shared his perspectives
  • Reflections and calls to action – Kevin Martin led us in a reflective discussion and challenged us with thought-provoking questions.
  • Open and uncensored discussion with your peers.