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Today’s HR leaders can and should be true strategic partners to the business, but experts say synergy only happens through careful design.
When people and culture leaders move beyond being “order takers” from the CEO to strategic partners and co-pilots in steering the business, it’s a game changer.
However, one CEO and a people and culture head – Michelle O’Keeffe and Fraser Gordon from Engaging.io – have warned that this kind of relationship takes consistent effort. While they usually see eye-to-eye, “that’s not by luck, it’s by design”.
“Alignment doesn’t just happen, it’s built through frequent, purposeful communication and a shared strategy (and passion!),” Gordon said.
“When we do disagree, it’s never personal, it’s a healthy debate between two people who care deeply about the business, just approaching the same goal from different perspectives.”
He adds that it’s important to be able to disagree in a safe space, and “each knows that we have the best of intentions”.
The pair will speak about their experience at the upcoming Bold Ideas in HR event, to be held in Sydney on 15 September, providing attendees with refreshingly honest insight on the art and science of leadership synergy.
Creating a united front
So, how does an organisation achieve this magical alignment?
The foundation, O’Keeffe and Gordon said, is to have clear vision and values that the organisation supports. From there, they need to develop a shared plan.
“We create an annual strategy together that evolves throughout the year, taking into account market shifts, tech and AI trends, legislative changes, and the emotional capacity of our people,” Gordon said.
“We stay aligned by checking in regularly, having the hard conversations when needed, and always returning to our shared goal: creating the best possible environment for our team.”
O’Keeffe said: “It’s about trust, respect, and intentional collaboration. We also enjoy talking to each other. As the CEO, I value Fraser and his role extremely highly.”
Ultimately, Engaging.io’s approach has been to avoid creating a separate executive culture and instead work hard to build a single, unified ethos where everyone has equal ownership and accountability – regardless of role or title. This is lived, rather than handed down.
“We involve our people in shaping it, through town halls, culture champions across regions, and open dialogue. Culture isn’t static, it evolves with the business,” Gordon said.
To dive deeper into leadership alignment and much more, secure your ticket to the new HR conference that dares to be different click here.
Kace O'Neill
Kace O'Neill is a Graduate Journalist for HR Leader. Kace studied Media Communications and Maori studies at the University of Otago, he has a passion for sports and storytelling.
