By Natalie Michael, CHRP

Fifteen years ago, I was coaching a top human resources executive who said something to me that changed the course of my career:  “I can’t get the CEO to do what I need him to do to change our culture, and I am at my wit’s end.”

In that moment I thought to myself:  “Oh no, I have no idea where to take this coaching session because I am stuck too!”  This sent me on a quest to get this question answered.

What does it really take to for HR to become a highly influential member of the executive team, someone who can shift the CEO to see the light and make an important change?

For over two years now, I have received a wealth of direct input on the subject through my involvement running CEO peer learning groups with MacKay CEO Forums. Working with the groups and roughly 50 CEOs has stimulated some fascinating dialogue, and great insights for sharing.

With that in mind, here are four tips for taking HR leadership to a higher level, along with some direct input from CEOs on the subject.

Skip the “Best Practice” Rationale: Today everyone can access best practices with a quick google search, but not everyone can talk to your leadership team to find out what they want.  This is how HR add values, by talking to key leaders in the business, finding out what they want, and designing customized solutions.

Rob Miller is CEO of PRT Technologies, a Vancouver Island-based company which has become North America’s largest producer of container-grown forest seedlings—with the capacity to custom grow more than 180 million seedlings across our network of nurseries located in Canada and the United States. As his company has a wide network of nurseries, clear communications are key.

Miller says:  “If my leaders care about an issue then I am more inclined to care about it too.  If HR can link what they are recommending to a needs analysis from the team, then I will pay more attention. Don’t take the cookie cutter approach and say everyone is doing 360s, so we should too.  Instead, pick recommendations and initiatives that fit into the context of what is happening in our business and talk about that.”

Avoid Jargon: If you are like me, you get excited about some of the newest research and models emerging in our field. However, it turns out that CEOs are not as excited about the latest model on adult learning and integral theory unless they can see a practical application for the business.

Brian Conlin, ex-CEO of Golder and Associates, a $1.5 billion company with up to 8,000 employees at its peek says:  “When HR comes to me and says things like: “I read this article on the triple loop integral process and it sounds fascinating” I am not typically compelled to act.  As the CEO I think to myself:  “I have a million things on my list and this is not going to influence me to change my focus.”  But if you say to me:  I read this article and I considered the implications for our customers and succession pipeline and here is how this concept links to our strategy…then I am more engaged as the CEO to slow down and talk about it.”

Keep it Simple: Let’s face it people practices often feels likes “extra work” to executives and each time HR presents a new initiative leaders are asking themselves:  Why do I need to do this?  How does it add value? Rob from PRT says:  “You have to be able to answer these two questions each time you introduce something.  Make sure you can articulate how the tool or process helps them run their department better.

Don’t present a 10 page process when a one page tool is all the organization is ready for. I would recommend they talk to the key people and then put things forward that really fit with the business.”

Be Business First, HR Second: While CEOs uniformly value HR people who are “one with the people,” connected with their ear to the ground, this is not enough if it cannot be translated into aligned strategies at the executive table.

CEOs want to talk about HR through a business lens, and for HR leaders to show that the HR priorities support the top business priorities and desired culture change.  Although they value “heart” in the HR function, CEOs also want assertions and a direct style, as much as they need the numbers in a narrative that speaks to the business.

HR executives who can fit the bill on both fronts have invested in developing their business acumen, cultivated a flexibility in style and are well on their way to embodying the HR leadership that CEOs value—and need.

Natalie Michael is a CEO and Executive Coach with the Karmichael Group and a MacKay CEO Forums chair.  She coaches executives who want to extract more meaning from their work, refine their leadership style, and be more influential in challenging (and sometimes political) environments.

(PeopleTalk Winter 2015)