Skills every CHRO should have [2026]
Human resources has undergone one of the most significant transformations in the modern enterprise. Once viewed primarily as a function responsible for hiring, payroll, and compliance, HR has evolved into a strategic business partner that influences growth, innovation, and organizational resilience. Today, Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) are expected to help CEOs navigate talent shortages, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), hybrid work, and rapidly changing employee expectations. According to the World Economic Forum, close to 39% of workers’ core skills are expected to change by 2030, which is exactly why workforce planning and continuous learning have become board-level priorities rather than back-office concerns.
At the same time, organizations are recognizing that people strategy directly impacts business performance. McKinsey’s organizational health research has found that companies with strong alignment between people practices and business strategy tend to outperform peers over the long term, while Gallup continues to report links between employee engagement and productivity, profitability, and retention. As a result, today’s CHRO must possess a broad mix of business acumen, leadership capability, technological awareness, and emotional intelligence to guide organizations through constant change.
In this guide, we explore the 15 essential skills every CHRO should develop to succeed in today’s business environment, illustrated wherever possible by named HR executives who have actually put these skills into practice, not just companies in the abstract.
Related: CHRO Executive Programs
Top 15 Skills Every CHRO Should Have [2026]
What Skills Should Every CHRO Have?
The most successful CHROs combine strategic leadership with deep expertise in people management and business operations. They understand how workforce decisions influence organizational performance, financial outcomes, and long-term competitiveness. Essential competencies include strategic business thinking, workforce planning, talent acquisition, leadership development, emotional intelligence, change management, HR analytics, AI and digital HR fluency, organizational design, executive communication, culture building, financial acumen, negotiation, crisis leadership, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to continuous learning.
| Skill | Why It Matters | Real-World Example |
| Strategic Business Thinking | Aligns workforce decisions with organizational growth and long-term business strategy. | Kathleen Hogan – Microsoft |
| Workforce Planning | Ensures the organization has the right talent and skills for future business needs. | Unilever |
| Talent Acquisition & Leadership Development | Builds strong leadership pipelines and reduces critical talent gaps. | IBM |
| Emotional Intelligence | Strengthens trust, collaboration, conflict resolution, and executive leadership. | Indra Nooyi’s people-first leadership approach |
| Change Leadership | Helps organizations successfully navigate restructuring, mergers, and digital transformation. | Adobe |
| HR Analytics & Data Literacy | Enables evidence-based decisions on hiring, retention, and workforce performance. | Google Project Oxygen |
| AI & Digital HR Fluency | Improves recruiting, learning, workforce planning, and HR automation. | Unilever’s AI-enabled hiring |
| Organizational Design | Creates agile structures that improve collaboration and business responsiveness. | Netflix |
| Executive Communication & Influence | Builds alignment among employees, executives, and board members. | Satya Nadella and Microsoft’s cultural transformation |
| Culture Building | Enhances engagement, innovation, and employee retention through a strong workplace culture. | Patagonia |
| Financial Acumen | Connects HR investments with measurable business outcomes and ROI. | Walmart |
| Negotiation & Stakeholder Management | Balances employee expectations with business priorities across multiple stakeholders. | Accenture |
| Crisis & Risk Management | Enables organizations to respond effectively to disruptions while protecting employees and operations. | Airbnb during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leadership | Creates inclusive workplaces that attract, retain, and develop diverse talent. | Mastercard |
| Continuous Learning & Adaptability | Keeps leaders and employees prepared for evolving technologies and future workforce demands. | Microsoft’s company-wide learning culture |
1. Strategic Business Thinking
3x More Likely to Outperform Peers (Source: McKinsey Organizational Health Index)
The modern CHRO is expected to think like a business executive first and an HR leader second. According to McKinsey’s Organizational Health Index, organizations in the top quartile for organizational health are three times more likely to outperform their peers in total shareholder returns. One of the strongest drivers of organizational health is the alignment between people strategy and business strategy. In other words, companies that treat talent decisions as business decisions consistently create more value than those that view HR as a support function. This explains why today’s boards increasingly expect CHROs to participate in strategic discussions involving growth, acquisitions, innovation, and long-term competitiveness.
The Example: Kathleen Hogan, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, played a pivotal role in supporting Satya Nadella’s transformation of Microsoft into a cloud-first organization. Rather than simply recruiting new talent, she redesigned leadership expectations, performance management, and organizational culture to reinforce the company’s new strategic direction. Her work demonstrated how HR can become an accelerator of business transformation instead of merely responding to it.
How to Build This Skill: Develop commercial awareness by studying financial statements, investor presentations, industry trends, and competitive strategy. Participate in strategic planning sessions whenever possible and seek cross-functional exposure in finance, operations, or product teams.
Avoid This Mistake: Many HR leaders adopt business terminology without changing their priorities. Strategic thinking is reflected in where the organization invests its people, leadership, and resources—not simply in the language used during executive meetings.
2. Workforce Planning
58% of Employees Will Need New Skills (Source: Gartner)
Imagine investing millions in AI, automation, or digital transformation only to discover that your workforce lacks the skills needed to use those technologies effectively. Unfortunately, this scenario is becoming increasingly common. Gartner estimates that 58% of the workforce will require new skills to perform their existing jobs successfully, making workforce planning one of the CHRO’s most critical responsibilities. Rather than forecasting headcount alone, leading organizations now predict future capabilities, identify emerging skill gaps, and begin reskilling employees years before those gaps become business risks.
The Example: Before becoming Global CEO of Chanel, Leena Nair served as Unilever’s Chief Human Resources Officer, where she championed a skills-based approach to workforce planning. As consumer behavior shifted toward digital commerce and data-driven marketing, Unilever proactively invested in reskilling initiatives and internal mobility programs to prepare employees for future roles instead of relying solely on external hiring.
How to Build This Skill: Treat workforce planning like financial planning. Develop rolling forecasts with finance and business leaders, map future business capabilities, maintain an enterprise-wide skills inventory, and regularly review succession pipelines for critical roles.
Avoid This Mistake: Many organizations still equate workforce planning with annual hiring plans. Effective CHROs continuously monitor changing business priorities, technological advances, and workforce demographics, adjusting talent strategies long before skill shortages begin affecting performance.
3. Talent Acquisition and Leadership Development
Organizations with Strong Leadership Pipelines Are 2.9x More Likely to Outperform (Source: DDI Global Leadership Forecast)
One of the greatest responsibilities of any CHRO is ensuring that leadership continuity never becomes a business risk. DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast found that organizations with strong leadership benches are 2.9 times more likely to be top financial performers than their peers. Yet many organizations still struggle to identify successors for critical leadership positions. Building future leaders is therefore not simply an HR initiative—it is a long-term business investment that protects organizational stability, accelerates growth, and reduces the disruption associated with executive turnover.
The Example: IBM’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Nickle LaMoreaux, has consistently advocated for skills-based talent development and internal mobility as strategic business capabilities. Under her leadership, IBM has expanded opportunities for employees to develop new skills, transition into emerging roles, and build long-term careers within the organization, reducing dependence on expensive external recruitment.
How to Build This Skill: Create structured talent reviews that objectively assess leadership potential, identify high-potential employees early, and provide meaningful stretch assignments across business functions. Review succession plans regularly—not just for executive positions, but for leadership roles throughout the organization—and prioritize internal mobility before launching external executive searches.
Avoid This Mistake: Too many organizations invest heavily in external executive recruitment while neglecting internal leadership development. When employees see limited opportunities for advancement, engagement declines and valuable institutional knowledge often walks out the door.
4. Emotional Intelligence
90% of Top Performers Demonstrate High Emotional Intelligence (Source: TalentSmart)
Technical HR expertise may earn a leader a seat at the executive table, but emotional intelligence determines whether they remain influential once they get there. TalentSmart’s research found that 90% of top-performing professionals possess high emotional intelligence, highlighting its importance in effective leadership. For CHROs, emotional intelligence extends far beyond empathy. It influences how they manage executive disagreements, communicate difficult decisions, build trust during periods of uncertainty, and create psychologically safe workplaces where employees feel heard without compromising accountability.
The Example: Pat Wadors, former Chief People Officer at LinkedIn, ServiceNow, and Procore, has long been recognized for promoting empathy, belonging, and psychological safety as competitive business advantages. Rather than treating emotional intelligence as a soft leadership trait, she integrated it into organizational culture, leadership development, and employee experience initiatives across multiple global technology companies.
How to Build This Skill: Seek regular 360-degree feedback, work with executive coaches to strengthen self-awareness and emotional regulation, and intentionally reflect on how your own emotions influence conversations and decisions. Great CHROs continuously refine their ability to listen, respond thoughtfully, and manage conflict constructively.
Avoid This Mistake: Emotional intelligence does not mean avoiding difficult conversations or trying to keep everyone happy. Effective CHROs balance empathy with accountability, delivering challenging messages honestly while maintaining trust and respect.
5. Change Leadership
Nearly 70% of Large-Scale Transformations Fail (Source: McKinsey)
Organizations rarely fail because they lack a transformation strategy—they fail because people never fully embrace it. McKinsey’s widely cited research suggests that approximately 70% of large-scale transformation initiatives fall short of their objectives, largely due to leadership, communication, and organizational resistance rather than technical shortcomings. This places the CHRO at the center of successful transformation. Whether introducing AI, restructuring operations, integrating acquisitions, or changing business models, CHROs must help employees understand why change is necessary and equip leaders to sustain momentum long after the initial announcement.
The Example: During Adobe’s transition from perpetual software licenses to its Creative Cloud subscription model, Donna Morris, then Executive Vice President of Customer and Employee Experience, helped redesign performance management, employee communications, and leadership practices to support one of the company’s most significant strategic shifts. Rather than viewing HR as a supporting function, Adobe embedded people strategy directly into its transformation agenda.
How to Build This Skill: Study structured change management frameworks, involve managers early in transformation planning, establish continuous employee feedback mechanisms, and communicate consistently throughout the change journey rather than relying on one-time announcements.
Avoid This Mistake: Many leaders assume change management ends after the launch event. Successful CHROs recognize that transformation is an ongoing process requiring continuous communication, reinforcement, measurement, and adaptation until new behaviors become part of the organization’s culture.
Related: How to Become a CHRO
6. HR Analytics and Data Literacy
Organizations with Mature People Analytics Are 2x More Likely to Treat Data as a Competitive Asset
(Source: Deloitte)
Modern HR teams generate more workforce data than ever before, yet many organizations still struggle to convert that information into meaningful business decisions. Deloitte’s research on high-impact people analytics found that organizations with mature analytics capabilities are twice as likely to treat workforce data as a strategic business asset rather than simply a reporting function. For today’s CHRO, the objective is not to build more dashboards but to answer the questions that matter most: Which employees are at risk of leaving? Which skills will the business need next? Which leadership behaviors drive higher performance? When analytics is directly connected to business priorities, HR moves from reporting history to shaping future decisions.
The Example: Prasad Setty, former Vice President of People Analytics and Compensation at Google, helped transform HR analytics through initiatives such as Project Oxygen. By analyzing thousands of performance reviews, employee surveys, and operational data points, Google identified the specific management behaviors that consistently produced higher-performing teams. Those insights fundamentally reshaped leadership development, manager evaluations, and coaching programs across the company, demonstrating how data can influence business outcomes rather than simply measure them.
How to Build This Skill: Start every analytics initiative with a business question instead of a dashboard. Partner with finance and data science teams, establish clear data governance, and develop enough analytical literacy to distinguish meaningful patterns from misleading correlations. Great CHROs use data to support decisions—not to replace judgment.
Avoid This Mistake: Sophisticated dashboards create little value if they fail to influence action. The most effective HR analytics programs are measured by the quality of decisions they improve, not by the number of reports they produce.
7. AI and Digital HR Fluency
Nearly 50% of HR Activities Could Be Automated by 2030 (Source: Gartner)
Artificial intelligence is redefining nearly every aspect of human resources, from recruitment and onboarding to learning, workforce planning, and employee support. Gartner projects that close to half of today’s HR activities could be automated or significantly augmented by AI by 2030, making digital fluency an essential leadership capability for every CHRO. However, adopting AI is about far more than increasing efficiency. HR leaders must ensure that AI-powered decisions remain transparent, unbiased, legally compliant, and aligned with organizational values. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into people decisions, responsible governance becomes just as important as technological innovation.
The Example: Diane Gherson, IBM’s former Chief Human Resources Officer, was among the earliest HR leaders to embrace AI-driven workforce management. Under her leadership, IBM introduced predictive analytics to identify employees at risk of leaving, used AI to support recruitment and career development, and emphasized human oversight to ensure that algorithmic recommendations remained fair, explainable, and accountable. Her work demonstrated that successful AI adoption depends as much on governance as it does on technology.
How to Build This Skill: Learn the fundamentals of AI, collaborate closely with technology, legal, and compliance teams, and begin by deploying AI in lower-risk applications such as knowledge management, learning recommendations, or administrative automation before expanding into higher-impact workforce decisions. Stay informed about evolving regulations governing AI in employment.
Avoid This Mistake: Implementing AI solely to reduce costs often creates larger problems later. CHROs should evaluate every AI initiative through the lenses of fairness, transparency, employee trust, and long-term organizational impact rather than efficiency alone.
8. Organizational Design
85% of Executives Say Their Organizations Need Greater Agility (Source: Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends)
Even the best business strategy will struggle if the organization itself cannot execute it efficiently. According to Deloitte, 85% of business leaders believe their organizations need more agile ways of working, yet many acknowledge that existing structures continue to slow decision-making and innovation. This places organizational design squarely within the CHRO’s strategic responsibilities. Designing effective organizations involves much more than redrawing reporting lines—it requires creating structures, decision rights, and collaborative processes that enable teams to respond quickly to changing market conditions while maintaining accountability and alignment.
The Example: Patty McCord, Netflix’s former Chief Talent Officer, helped shape one of the world’s most influential organizational philosophies. Through the widely recognized Netflix Culture Deck, she championed lean organizational structures built around highly empowered teams, minimal bureaucracy, and clear accountability. Her approach has influenced leadership thinking far beyond the technology sector and remains a benchmark for agile organizational design.
How to Build This Skill: Analyze where decisions consistently slow down, identify unnecessary organizational layers, and pilot structural changes within individual business units before implementing them company-wide. Effective organizational design evolves continuously as business priorities change.
Avoid This Mistake: Many organizations redesign reporting structures without changing decision-making authority or performance incentives. Without addressing these underlying systems, new organizational charts rarely produce meaningful behavioral change.
Frequently Asked Questions
· Can a CHRO Become a CEO?
Absolutely. As organizations increasingly recognize people strategy as a driver of business performance, more CHROs are moving into chief executive roles. One of the best-known examples is Leena Nair, who transitioned from Chief Human Resources Officer at Unilever to Global CEO of Chanel. Her appointment reflects a broader shift in how boards view HR leadership—as a source of commercial, strategic, and organizational expertise rather than purely administrative capability.
· What Is the Most Important Skill for a CHRO?
While every competency discussed in this guide contributes to success, strategic business thinking remains the foundation. The most respected CHROs understand how workforce decisions influence revenue growth, profitability, innovation, customer experience, and long-term competitiveness. Every other skill—from talent management to AI adoption—becomes significantly more valuable when it directly supports business strategy.
· Do CHROs Need Financial Knowledge?
Yes. Today’s CHRO is expected to manage significant budgets, evaluate the return on investment of workforce initiatives, contribute to strategic planning, and communicate effectively with CEOs, CFOs, and boards of directors. Financial literacy enables HR leaders to position people investments as business investments rather than operational expenses.
· Should CHROs Learn AI?
Definitely. CHROs do not need to become AI engineers, but they do need a solid understanding of how AI influences hiring, learning, performance management, workforce planning, and employee experience. More importantly, they must ensure AI systems are implemented responsibly, transparently, and in compliance with evolving legal and ethical standards.
9. Communication and Executive Influence
78% of Employees Trust Their Employer More Than Other Institutions (Source: Edelman Trust Barometer)
Communication is one of the most visible responsibilities of a CHRO, especially during periods of uncertainty. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 78% of employees say they trust their employer more than government, media, or other major institutions, placing enormous responsibility on organizational leaders to communicate honestly and consistently. Whether announcing restructuring, responding to crises, or explaining strategic change, the CHRO often serves as the bridge between executive decisions and employee understanding. Strong communication not only preserves trust but also reduces uncertainty, strengthens engagement, and helps organizations navigate difficult transitions more effectively.
The Example: Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People eXperience and Technology at Amazon, has led workforce communications during periods of intense public scrutiny, including workplace safety initiatives, rapid hiring, organizational restructuring, and large-scale layoffs. Her approach has emphasized timely communication, detailed explanations, and consistent engagement with employees across one of the world’s largest workforces.
How to Build This Skill: Develop executive presence, practice communicating complex decisions in simple language, anticipate difficult questions before major announcements, and actively seek feedback on how messages are received. Effective communication is measured not by what leaders say, but by what employees understand and believe.
Avoid This Mistake: Many leaders spend considerable time perfecting prepared speeches while neglecting the difficult conversations that follow. Employees often judge leadership credibility by how openly questions are answered, not by how polished the original announcement sounds.
10. Culture Building
Highly Engaged Teams Deliver 21% Greater Profitability (Source: Gallup)
Organizational culture is one of the few competitive advantages that competitors cannot easily replicate. Gallup’s research shows that business units with highly engaged employees achieve 21% greater profitability than those with low engagement, highlighting the direct relationship between culture and business performance. However, culture is not defined by mission statements or values displayed on office walls. It is reflected in hiring decisions, leadership behaviors, recognition systems, performance management, and the everyday experiences of employees. The CHRO plays a central role in ensuring these elements consistently reinforce the organization’s stated values.
The Example: During his leadership of HR and Shared Services at Patagonia, Dean Carter helped embed the company’s commitment to employee well-being and environmental responsibility into its people practices. Compensation, benefits, recognition, and leadership development were intentionally designed to reflect Patagonia’s values, demonstrating that authentic culture is built through everyday management decisions rather than branding campaigns.
How to Build This Skill: Regularly measure employee engagement, create multiple channels for listening to employee feedback, recognize behaviors that reinforce organizational values, and ensure managers receive ongoing support in building psychologically safe, high-performing teams. Culture should be evaluated continuously, particularly during periods of rapid growth, restructuring, or acquisitions.
Avoid This Mistake: Many organizations invest heavily in defining corporate values but fail to reinforce them through promotions, rewards, performance management, and leadership behavior. Employees judge culture by what leaders consistently do—not by what the company says it believes.
Related: How to Become Fractional CHRO?
11. Financial Acumen
Strategic People Investments Can Generate Savings Equivalent to 12.6% of Revenue (Source: PwC)
Today’s CHRO is expected to speak the language of business as confidently as the language of people. According to PwC, targeted investments in employee well-being, learning, and career development can generate savings equivalent to 12.6% of revenue through lower turnover, reduced absenteeism, and higher productivity. However, these returns are achieved only when HR investments are prioritized strategically rather than spread evenly across numerous initiatives. Financially savvy CHROs evaluate workforce programs with the same discipline used for capital investments, balancing employee needs with measurable business outcomes and long-term organizational value.
The Example: Donna Morris, currently Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Walmart, has consistently demonstrated how financial discipline can strengthen people strategy. After helping Adobe navigate its transformation to a subscription-based business model, she brought a similarly data-driven approach to Walmart, where even modest improvements in retention, engagement, or productivity create substantial financial impact across one of the world’s largest workforces.
How to Build This Skill: Develop a solid understanding of financial statements, budgeting, and business metrics. Work closely with finance leaders to model the expected return on HR initiatives before implementation, and continuously measure whether programs are delivering the intended business outcomes.
Avoid This Mistake: HR initiatives lose credibility when they are presented solely through employee satisfaction scores or participation rates. Executive teams want to understand how people investments contribute to productivity, profitability, risk reduction, and sustainable business growth.
12. Negotiation and Stakeholder Management
Workplace Conflict Costs U.S. Organizations an Estimated $359 Billion Annually (Source: CPP Global Human Capital Report)
Few executives operate at the intersection of as many competing interests as a CHRO. On any given day, they may be balancing employee expectations, executive priorities, labor concerns, regulatory requirements, and shareholder interests. The CPP Global Human Capital Report estimates that workplace conflict costs U.S. organizations approximately $359 billion each year in lost productivity, underscoring why negotiation has become one of the CHRO’s most valuable leadership skills. Successful negotiations are not about winning arguments—they are about building sustainable solutions that strengthen relationships while advancing business objectives.
The Example: Ellyn Shook, Accenture’s former Chief Leadership and Human Resources Officer, has spent years managing workforce issues across more than 100 countries, balancing diverse labor regulations, business priorities, and cultural expectations. Her leadership illustrates how careful preparation, stakeholder alignment, and collaborative problem-solving can help organizations navigate complex negotiations at a global scale.
How to Build This Skill: Invest in formal negotiation training, prepare thoroughly before important discussions, understand the interests of every stakeholder involved, and focus on creating long-term value rather than short-term victories. The strongest negotiators spend more time listening and understanding than persuading.
Avoid This Mistake: Many leaders enter negotiations with fixed positions instead of flexible objectives. Effective CHROs know where compromise is possible, where principles must remain firm, and how to preserve trust even when difficult decisions are required.
13. Crisis and Risk Management
Workforce Skill Disruption Reached 57% During the Pandemic (Source: World Economic Forum)
Every organization hopes it will never face a major crisis, yet every CHRO must be prepared as though one could happen tomorrow. The World Economic Forum reported that workforce skill disruption peaked at 57% during the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrating how quickly unexpected events can transform workforce requirements, business priorities, and employee expectations. Today’s CHRO is responsible not only for responding to crises but also for building organizational resilience before disruption occurs. Whether managing layoffs, cybersecurity incidents, public health emergencies, or reputational challenges, calm, transparent, and well-prepared leadership can significantly reduce long-term organizational damage.
The Example: David Rodriguez, former Global Chief Human Resources Officer at Marriott International, played a critical leadership role during one of the hospitality industry’s most challenging periods. As global travel came to a near standstill during the pandemic, he helped lead difficult workforce decisions while prioritizing employee communication, benefits continuity, and long-term organizational recovery across Marriott’s global workforce.
How to Build This Skill: Establish crisis response plans before they are needed. Clearly define decision-making responsibilities, maintain close partnerships with legal, communications, IT, and security teams, and regularly conduct crisis simulations to test organizational readiness. The best crisis plans are practiced—not simply documented.
Avoid This Mistake: Many organizations begin building crisis processes only after disruption has already occurred. Effective CHROs invest in preparation, communication protocols, and cross-functional coordination long before an emergency demands immediate action.
14. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership
Diverse Executive Teams Are 39% More Likely to Outperform Financially (Source: McKinsey Diversity Matters)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion have evolved from compliance initiatives into strategic business priorities. McKinsey’s Diversity Matters research found that organizations in the top quartile for executive-team diversity are 39% more likely to outperform their peers financially, reinforcing the business value of diverse leadership perspectives. For modern CHROs, successful DEI leadership extends beyond recruitment targets or awareness programs. It requires embedding fairness and inclusion into hiring, promotions, leadership development, succession planning, compensation, and organizational culture so that diversity becomes part of how the business operates every day.
The Example: Michael Fraccaro, Mastercard’s Chief People Officer, has championed integrating measurable diversity objectives into the company’s broader talent strategy rather than treating inclusion as a standalone HR initiative. By holding business leaders accountable for measurable progress, Mastercard has demonstrated how DEI can become an integral component of executive leadership and organizational performance.
How to Build This Skill: Regularly review hiring, promotion, compensation, and succession data to identify potential disparities. Establish measurable diversity objectives, encourage inclusive leadership behaviors, and ensure accountability extends beyond the HR function to every business leader.
Avoid This Mistake: Public commitments alone rarely build trust. Organizations undermine their credibility when visible DEI messaging is not supported by equitable systems, transparent processes, and measurable outcomes that employees can experience firsthand.
15. Continuous Learning and Adaptability
Nearly 39% of Core Workforce Skills Will Change by 2030 (Source: World Economic Forum)
The pace of change in today’s workplace means that yesterday’s expertise may no longer be sufficient tomorrow. According to the World Economic Forum, 39% of workers’ core skills are expected to change by 2030, driven by advances in artificial intelligence, automation, and evolving business models. For CHROs, continuous learning is no longer simply an employee development initiative—it is an organizational necessity. Future-ready companies will be those that continually reskill their workforce, encourage learning agility, and create cultures where adaptability becomes part of everyday work rather than an occasional training exercise.
The Example: John Palmer, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at AT&T, helped lead the company’s ambitious “Future Ready” initiative, investing heavily in reskilling tens of thousands of employees for emerging technology roles. Instead of relying primarily on external recruitment, AT&T demonstrated how large organizations can successfully prepare existing employees for future business needs through continuous learning.
How to Build This Skill: Stay informed about emerging workforce trends, participate in executive education, and model lifelong learning through your own professional development. Build learning into organizational routines by providing employees with dedicated learning time, supportive managers, personalized learning pathways, and opportunities to apply newly acquired skills in real business situations.
Avoid This Mistake: Many organizations invest heavily in training but overlook the environment needed for learning to succeed. Without leadership support, practical application, and ongoing reinforcement, even the best learning programs struggle to produce lasting behavioral or business impact.
Related: CHRO Interview Questions
Conclusion
No single CHRO will walk in the door mastering all fifteen of these skills at once. What distinguishes the most effective HR leaders, the Kathleen Hogans, Leena Nairs, and Nickle LaMoreaux’s of the world, is a clear-eyed view of where they are strong, where they need to grow, and a deliberate plan for closing the gap, whether through executive education, coaching, cross-functional rotations, or simply asking for a seat at tables where strategy is actually being decided. As AI, workforce demographics, and employee expectations continue to shift, the CHROs who combine business rigor with genuine people leadership will be the ones best equipped to help their organizations, and their people, navigate what comes next.
