The role of HR continues to evolve, yet ambiguity still surrounds its true impact at the executive level. In this episode, we sit down with John Boudreau, Author, Speaker, Coach, Consultant and Advisor at Dr. John W Boudreau, to explore how courage and clarity can reshape the CHRO’s position in modern organizations. John reflects on four decades of research and advisory work, offering a framework for how HR leaders can define their role, influence strategy and step into spaces where they’re often overlooked. From bet-the-badge moments to building credibility with boards and senior teams, he highlights why courage is essential to turning ambiguity into opportunity.
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Introduction.
02:27 John reflects on starting at Cornell and discovering his passion for HR.
05:46 Early research focused on linking people’s investments to business value.
09:03 The CHRO role spans five platforms, from running HR to influencing boards and strategy.
15:23 Building credibility with senior teams starts by leading onboarding and evaluation.
22:35 CHROs often inherit roles, but a framework helps reassess and drive change.
24:42 Bet-the-badge moments define courage when CHROs risk their role to do what’s right.
28:55 The real HR bottleneck is not data or models but lacking platforms to be heard.
31:44 Leaders should assess their five platforms, then build influence from existing strengths.
Resources Mentioned:
Dr. John W Boudreau | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dr-john-w-boudreau/
Dr. John W Boudreau | Website
https://drjohnboudreau.com/
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