Vodacom South Africa’s executive HR director, Njabulo Mashigo, shares that the making of a great CHRO comes down to four qualities: having conviction, being relatable, the curiosity to experiment and trusting people. Get these right, and the rest follows.
When it comes to discussions about what makes a great CHRO I can cite many strategic and business reasons. Of course, you need to be a functional business leader who is competent and credible. Yes, you must understand business operations to deliver value. But the CHRO is more than just the CEO’s advisor and the employment cost gatekeeper. We are the owners of the people agenda, and this is where the magic resides.
With that and my superstitious belief that great things come in fours, below are four traits that I believe great CHROs should embody:
Have conviction: As a CHRO you navigate complex people and problems every day. In a world filled with grey areas and conflicting people needs, it’s important to have conviction, pick a side and follow through. This is not to be confused with rigidity or favouritism but instead be viewed as the ability to steer people in a clear, objective direction. In my experience the issues are many and complex and it’s sometimes easier to not decide and let things run its course. It is, however, more detrimental in the long run and people need to see you lead.
Be relatable: As a CHRO you are the chief people officer of the organisation and people have layers and levels. One of the most dangerous things to be as a leader is out of touch. I have to say that “out of touch” is contextual, and every CHRO decides what it means for the environment they are operating in, but there are general themes that will apply to most. As the mom of a 19-year-old, I am equally able to relate to parents of teenagers and the youth entering our organisation. I know what my 30-year-old business manager means when she says, “If you like it, I love it”. It seems simplistic, but people want to know that the person guiding the people agenda understands the people.
Experiment and learn fast: Experimentation is something that we all need to get better at, especially as it relates to the talent of our organisation. We are operating in unprecedented times with frequent disruptions which needs out of the box thinking about how to keep people engaged and deliver a valuable employee experience. In my experience, business can be very reluctant to experiment. As a CHRO it’s important to lead by example with experiments in your own team.
Trust your people: As a CHRO, the people agenda can feel enormous and all-consuming. It is therefore important to be a leader that depends and leans on the capability and expertise of their teams. Great CHROs understand that their whole team owns and drives the people agenda and trusts them to do so.
While not exhaustive, these traits will ensure that you always have your ear on the ground as it relates to the people within your organisation and will undoubtedly make you a great CHRO.
