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Brain Circuits
The CHRO agenda: 3 questions to ask yourself to plan for the unexpected
An increasingly complex business environment demands CHROs to be outward-looking, future-focused, and highly collaborative. Check your readiness using this three-point questionnaire and refer to the tips for guidance if in doubt.
1. Are you monitoring events in geopolitics?
The issues affecting CHROs are changing profoundly. The most immediate issue is geopolitics.
Tips
- Run scenario-planning exercises with your teams as a matter of routine.
- Ensure the firm’s readiness isn’t diminished when new people take on leadership roles.
- Check that plans remain relevant as external circumstances change.
2. Is your internal communications planning comprehensive?
Communications for a multinational business require careful calibration. Ask yourself “What communications should we send, when, and to whom?” A strategic approach to communications will also help you navigate external pressure to take a public stance on political hot topics.
Tips
- You don’t need to comment on everything.
- Be measured in terms of what you communicate.
- Focus on urgent practical questions, such as “What should we be thinking about here? How do we provide support to people, and for how long?”
3. Are you disseminating learning around the firm?
The CHRO should function as a disseminator of learning around the firm, working closely with executives across the organization to address the root causes of complex challenges. There isn’t a playbook for every situation, but managers should have a template to refer to for guidance. This will enable them to make decisions without deferring to HR by default.
Tips
- Accept and assimilate different viewpoints on geopolitical events.
- Anticipate divergent opinions on your role and the performance of the HR function within the business.
- Take a proactive approach by inviting opinion in a structured way, e.g., by using Pulse surveys and other feedback mechanisms to monitor opinion. This will give insight into how to manage differences and respond constructively.
Key takeaway
Collaboration is key, as the challenges CHROs have to solve today are extremely complex. That means you need to spend much more time thinking about tomorrow, draw in the resources around you, and use opinions across the business to inform strategy to have the greatest impact in the years ahead.
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